Shine of the Silver Sun
by NamelessNarrator
Summary: Necromancers and dark mages are rising all throughout Equestria. Some ponies aim to find out why and destroy the root of the new evil. For now, though, the important ones are those standing against the new darkness - The Order of the Silver Sun.
1. Winds Of Change: Disturbance

An earthpony mare took her gold-foiled armor off and let it fall on the floor of the changing room in the guardhouse behind Canterlot castle. The soft light of the fluorescent bulbs slid all over her pure white hair and made the little open window leading to the complete darkness outside just a square of ink.

"Finally free!" she let out a long breath of relief as her sweat-drenched mane and coat got loose from the confines of the steel plating, "Can't believe they are making us wear these in this unholy weather."

With summer in full swing, Royal Guards patrolling the city throughout the day turned from authority figures promising safety into poor victims of the ongoing heat wave. Granted, quite a lot of them enjoyed the array of free drinks and the occasional icecream pony merchants in the city offered for, let's say, looking the other way in certain things. Not exactly infringements on the law, but slightly shady dealings when seen in possibly completely imaginary context. It made the long hoof of the law get just a little faster to the scene of a bar brawl, maybe turn a blind eye to a pony selling wares of slightly lower quality than their certificate promised, or sometimes take a quick detour when seeing a supply cart parked where it should not be to give the offending sides a minute or two to clear the street.

Such is the grease helping the wheels of life turn, and nopony is bothered by it unless it goes too far.

"You know, Blackie, I've been at the comicon in Fillydelphia once," another guardsmare, a pegasus, undoing the straps of her helmet and armor followed the quiet complaint, "Let me tell you, the chainmail thongs and leather harnesses don't seem so ridiculous now."

The mare called 'Blackie' chuckled and took a step aside to let a batpony stallion carrying a full suit of silvery dark blue armor pass. He nodded as a thanks, put his cargo on a bench by the wall, and started putting it on.

Blackie, or Black Shield as she was more commonly known, let her eyes linger on the stallion just a little longer, and then felt a tickle rush through her body. Her white coat darkened, turning brown, but her blonde mane and hazel eyes remained the same. The enchanted suits of guard armor covered their bearers' cutie marks and changed their coats to either white or grey to help guards prevent their work following them home after hours. Outside observers sometimes hinted at the outdated concept of anonymous guards, but after their first few arrests and broken tavern fights the guards were extremely happy with no chance of being recognized in a dark alley.

"You and your little plastic pony toys, Petal," Black Shield planted her plot on a bench and stretched all four legs.

"Collectible figurines, thank you," the smaller mare frowned and shivered as her pristine white coat faded into dark green and blonde mane went pink, "They are hoof-made and extremely valuable ponyfications of comic personalities and-"

"Been to your place, saw some of your little stallion figurines' 'personalities'. And the body pillows... and other things," Black Shield blew her off, "Ponan the Barbarian sticks in memory for some reason."

"Ponan is from a book that helped define an entire genre of modern literature, you philistine!" grumbling Petal started picking the pieces of her suit of armor up into an easy to carry bundle.

"Never seen a book at your place, only comics and toys."

"Collectible-"

"I know, just teasing you," Black Shield raised her hoof to stop the huffing mare, "So, we up for a night at Prancing Pairs?"

Both Petal and Black Shield were about twenty-five and stuck either patrolling or standing in one spot during the day. Their inner mares needed some serious wild hunt every few days, and Prancing Pairs was a dance club for those looking for a good time.

"Of course, Blackie," Petal gave her friend a wide smile and leaned to her ear while giving the Nightguard stallion in the corner almost done with putting his platemail on a hungry glance, "If I'm lucky some batponies might just pop in tonight."

"Been reading Dusk again?"

"Shut up, vamponies are hot!"

The passing thestral coughed meaningfully as he left the changing room.

"That book has been nicknamed Toilet for a good reason."

"I'm not gonna discuss literature with somepony who thought the main difference between Pondalf the White and Grey was a cleaner robe."

"In my defense, the movies didn't explain much on that subject."

"That's only because you didn't see the extra long director's cut extended complete full remastered enhanced edition. That, or read the books."

Three exactly same knocks on the door interrupted the conversation. A mechanical pony, chassis silvery and shiny, stood there, blue circles in his completely black eyes measuring the two changing mares.

"Agent Bucket, is anything wrong, sir?" Black Shield asked, saluting the smaller and thinly built robot.

"A report of a disturbance on the Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns campus came five minutes ago. The shift change for the Nightguard was scheduled two minutes ago, which means the report falls under the jurisdiction of the Royal Guard. You two are the only free Royal Guards left. Considering the report is marked as urgent and came from a high-ranked wizard, you are bound to investigate and it will count into your overtime bonus," the robot explained methodically, but in a surprisingly equine voice.

A special agent would not have been sent unless this was important, so Black Shield just sighed, gave her suit of armor a sad look, kicked a bench, and shoved a helmet on her head again.

"Dammit!" Petal ground her teeth, "I can't do this, go home to take a shower, and then make it to Prancing Pairs before midnight."

Petal lived in lower Canterlot, a much less 'noble', but a lot cheaper, part of the city spanning the base of the Canterlot mountain. Black Shield didn't mind the higher rents in upper Canterlot as long as she didn't have to take over an hour of walking to and back from work every day.

"I can go check it out alone, Petal," her putting the armor on was much faster than her leisure pace of taking it off after a long day, "I doubt anypony would be stupid enough to try anything serious right under the noses of the most powerful wizards of Equestria. Some idiot probably just broke into their tool shed, stole some gardening equipment, and they are too busy with arcane experiments to go check it out themselves. It can't take that long, so... I don't know, see you at eleven at most? The evening at Prancing Pairs should be in full swing."

"You're the best, Blackie!" Petal put the bundle containing her full suit of armor on her back and shot out of the door. The round, body-hugging, shapes of guard armor for both branches, Royal Guard and Nightguard, allowed it to, when taken off, be put together into one quite small tube-like bundle. A miracle of design.

Ready and slightly less than willing, Black Shield took the incident report from waiting Bucket. The robot saluted and left for the castle while she made her way through the wide open castle lawns towards the city gate. The entire castle with its grounds and courtyards spanned the eastern end of what was upper Canterlot, a half-circle high up the side of Canterlot mountain. It was walled off from the rest of the city by its own gate, just like the city itself had only one gate on the western end which led to a wide road circling the mountainside and ending down at its base in lower Canterlot.

Poor Petal had to walk that route twice every day.

"Somepony climbed over the campus walls and broke into the northern workshop," Black Shield read in the light cast by her enchanted helmet while trotting on three legs, "Thought so. Unicorns. Of course they can't just go through due process of reporting a robbery, they need it sorted out right here and now. What would change if they let it lie for half an hour until Nightguard can send somepony? Whatever was stolen, if anything, is gone, and whoever stole it is gone as well. It was probably some students high on mercury fumes anyway."

Black Shield's gallop slowed down a little as she neared the highborne neighbourhood where the School for Gifted Unicorns was.

 _What if not, though? What if there really is somepony dumb enough to try to steal some experimental doomsday potion or whatever? Better sort it out before some wizard gets impatient and starts throwing fireballs at the damn workshop. Who knows? They might miscast and set fire to half of the city._

 _Why did this have to happen on Friday? Any other day I would just walk it off and got to my apartment an hour later, big whoop, but noooo, it had to happen on a day when I finally get to have some fun. I think it would even be fine if a gardener noticed, those guys have some common sense. It just HAD to be some bigwig mage to notice and 'require assistance of the law' immediately._

Riled up by her own internal speech, Black Shield arrived at the main gate to the School for Gifted Unicorns' campus in record time and only slightly gasping for breath.

"I am here to investigate a recently filed disturbance report," she approached a warden, showing her badge.

"Oh, come in, miss," the young warden, probably some honor student or maybe a student being punished, let her through the barred gate, "Just follow the wall north, the workshop is in the corner."

"You're not going to show me?"

"I've been instructed not to get close so that I don't mess anything up for a possible investigation. Sorry, miss. If you want some company you'll have to ask in the main building. I believe it was one of the archmages who sent for the guards."

"Thanks, I'll have a look myself first."

"As you wish, miss," the warden closed the gate and returned to watching the outside street.

 _Not gonna waste my precious time with some bureaucracy-obsessed mage who last saw the outside of his research laboratory on Hearth's Warming._

She slowed down as she saw the workshop. A spacious building barely overlooking the campus walls, white walls, several windows, near-flat roof, no signs of lights anywhere inside, no noise.

Black Shield unhinged her spear from her side where Royal Guard armor had a set of very helpful hooks for such purpose and let it drop on the grass. From what she could see, the building was a set of small rooms with low ceiling where an extended weapon like that would only hinder her movement. Not that she needed it per se. An earthpony of her training could, with the help of solid steel horseshoes, likely punch through the wall along with any miscreant in the way. The spear was mostly a sign of status. After all, impaling criminals and civilians was more than frowned upon.

Upon her wish, the light emanating from her entire armor dimmed, turning into a spotlight shining from the top of her helmet forward. She examined the open door.

 _Heavy, not fortified or anything, padlocked... no signs of damage. I'm not sure how easy it is to unlock a door with magic around here, but whoever was here definitely did not use force._

The light of her helmet faded completely as she entered.

 _Some sort of anti-magic influence then so no unlocking spells. Whoever got in here definitely had a key._

A shiver ran down her spine. All senses were telling her that this place was empty, but the little nagging in the back of her head kept saying otherwise. Quietly, she entered the main room. In the glints of light coming from outside she could make out rows of workbenches, chairs scattered around...

...and quiet breathing as if somepony was about to say something.

Black Shield didn't hesitate. She knew she should warn any criminal or possibly somepony investigating as well, but being this much on edge she just grabbed the nearest chair and threw it in the direction of the noise.

The chair froze in the air and was put down on the floor. So, a unicorn.

Black Shield quickly congratulated herself for such a good blind throw and jumped to tackle the shadow she could now that her eyes adjusted to the darkness identify as a robed pony figure.

Her legs failed to leave the floor.

"So this is who he sent me, an earthpony?" a male, uniterested and slightly annoyed voice commented on her effort to break the immobilizing spell. The robed unicorn whose horn shimmered with dim red walked over, circling around Black Shield, "I sure wish he would find somepony with more use, but sheer strength will just have to do," the unicorn slid his hoof over Shield's backplate, "Plus, I might just plow that plot later when I'm bored."

 _Who does this guy think he is, prizing me like a rodeo bull?_

 _Now... come closer to the plot, you perv._

 _Aaand..._

Asserting her earthpony strength and magic resistance, Black Shield broke the paralysis spell and bucked up with her hind legs.

The unicorn screamed.

Shield turned to punch him out.

She saw a dark purple muzzle, furious eyes, and rusty red mane illuminated by flaring red glow of the unicorn's magic.

Her body stopped as if hitting a wall, hard.

Red sparks started flying from her body to the unicorn's outstretched hoof. With each spark leaving her, she felt weaker and weaker and her vision blurred.

"Maybe you won't be as useless as I thought," the unicorn absorbed the sparks, making his bruised muzzle nearly kicked off by Shield cleanly recover.

Black Shield's heartbeat stopped and the hungry stare of her killer was the last thing she saw.


	2. Winds Of Change: Old

Manehattan, the biggest city in all Equestria. A forest of shiny skyscrapers reaching to the sky everywhere the eye can see. Further away from the bustling business center of the metropolis lay the residential areas, warehouses and factory districts, but also the gated communities and mansions of nobles who still wanted to be seen as a part of the cosmopolitan life and yet enjoy the relative privacy and peace the outskirts had to offer.

One such white, three-story mansion was breaking the rule however. In contrast with all the others residences of nobility, the spread lawns surrounding the building were filled with ponies in states of exhaustion from merely sweating rivers to gasping for breath while collapsed on the well-maintained grass. With armored ponies forming some semblance of ranks even while barely standing and several figures walking around and observing them, the place looked more like an guard bootcamp rather than the house of a highborne.

Which is what it was. Over a year ago, the princesses had raised a certain earthpony into the status of a baron and granted him the property and resources belonging to a family stripped of their possessions for high treason, but that is a different story. These days the white lively mansion served as the headquarters of an organization called the Order of the Silver Sun, a reincarnation of a unification movement from days of princess Luna's banishment to the moon. Partially funded by the government, the place offered practical training to anypony, no matter species or social status, which was widely accepted by all sorts of military or guard forces all over Equestria and Crystal Empire.

Well, the 'efficient bashing over the head' part of the education, not the 'unimportant legal stuff you have to do before or after the bashing' part. All in all, after several months of harsh training with the Order, the prospective guards, soldiers, militia or police ponies were in such shape to be sought after even by elite Royal Guard branches in Canterlot and other big cities.

That, however, was only the official part of the Order's business, the one that paid the bills and allowed the Order members to gain information from all ranks of society. The unofficial part lay in the wish of the new Order's founder to provide training to those willing to put everything on the line in order to protect normal ponies from divine, magical, or other unnatural threats beyond the reach of the police or the Royal Guard. Sadly, from the original members of the new Order only few remained, and those had to deal with both the normal recruits and the currently nonexistent special ones.

In an office on the second floor of the mansion, a pure white griffon was sitting in an armchair, reading a newspaper with a weary look in his bright green eyes. The office was nothing special, shelves full of binders here, comfortable furniture for long hours of work there. The only thing out of ordinary was a square section of wooden inlay on a wall with multiple framed photos. There were several motives and different ponies in them, but the most common individuals were the sitting griffon himself, a red-maned, red-eyed batpony mare with black coat who would look like a textbook villain were it not for her friendly and mischievous smile, and a bronze-coated alicorn with blue eyes and blonde mane, tired but content look on his face. A picture of the three of them hugging and posing for the camera dominated the center of the space for what had to be memories.

In direct opposition to his self in the pictures, the real griffon was nowhere even close to a smile. What did remain, however, was his astonishing physique combining the godlike proportions of an antique statue with the kind of roguish charm that made mares swoon at the first playful wink. The griffon's name was Cromach, and he was currently the head of the entire Order, being one of the few survivors of a deadly incident which had been the new Order's first assignment. A double-headed battleaxe leaning against the wall behind him only confirmed what his well-built and toned body hinted at - this griffon wasn't and never would be some kind of office worker.

Knocking on the door made Cromach raise his eyes from the newspaper headline reading 'Hospital morgue broken into. Bodies nowhere to be found'.

"Yes?" Cromach's disinterested voice was deep, but not overly so, giving away what the world-weary look was hiding - the griffon was at most in his late twenties.

"Burying yourself in work again, sir?"

The direct question came from a unicorn mare entering the office. Several things about her would make anypony observant certain of two things - she was young, maybe little over twenty, and she had gone through the same harsh test of life as the griffon sitting behind his desk.

Her mane was white, straight, and cut in the impractical way of a unicorn thinking barbers were an unnecessary luxury. The unicorn mare's name was Contradiction, and it reflected in everything about her. Her pristine mane and tail contrasted with her charcoal black coat, one of her eyes was blue and the other one green, and her cutie mark depicted two crossed greatswords, one black and one white. In a darker time of her life before joining the Order, she had chosen the name herself. Not due to her physical characteristics, but to bear and display her fate with pride and a certain amount of masochism.

She had been born into a noble family as a physically frail unicorn filly, unable to use any magic at all. Her condition kept deteriorating and she was retained only as a possible bride for a different noble to be given away. When the situation arose she refused, was kicked out of her home, and disowned. For several years she survived on the streets, begging and selling her body. When she was lucky, that was. With her physical weakness, 'selling' was more a luxury than practice. When just about a year ago, before the Order's first assignment, Cromach was looking for ponies willing to accept an invitation into what any reasonable individual would call suicide squad, she gladly accepted. Food, getting out of the rain, and not being a living stress relief for anypony who would pay her out of pity and those would use her without being as generous had seemed worth it.

However, the Order members had met ponies with her condition. Unicorns unable to use even the simplest magic went against all laws of existence, and Contradiction was physically healthy, only extremely weak. They identified the root of her issues and put her through rigorous physical training difficult for somepony in her state. It wasn't drastic by any measures, but she was not allowed to take any breaks or days off. When she, after seeing the painfully slow progress, asked what good she was for when any earthpony could do what she could with one tenth of the exercise she did, she was told the details of her condition. There was no way for her to ever use magic, the ethereal veins focusing the power in her body were crippled and stretched. Unicorns lacking magic, being as tied to their power just as pegasi were tied to flying or earthponies to the contact with soil, suffered from their bodies deteriorating when not using their nature. However, just like flightless pegasi grew stronger by running, swimming, and other activities normally ignored by their kind, the stretched ethereal veins in magically-crippled unicorns' bodies allowed for dramatic increase in the power of telekinesis with the right training.

Over nearly a year, the frail and crippled unicorn mare grew into somepony who could raze a wall with the power of her mind. With the growth of her newfound power, her body followed and now she was a well-toned mare who, while she could never be considered distinctly beautiful, could make a pony passing by whistle just with a sway of her hips.

And yes, she was a huge perv. Being locked throughout most of her life inside a mansion and then, full of hormones, kicked out into the very horny dark alleys would make somepony give up the horizontal mambo forever, but she turned out a lot more practical about it. Chalk it up to yet another 'Contradiction' in her life.

"I'm not burying myself in anything, Connie, there's just always a lot to do," Cromach lied his wonderfully round ass off and Connie knew it.

"Sir, you barely leave the mansion, you don't talk to anypony whenever it's not a business thing, and just this week I caught you sleeping in here three times while gripping... that," she nodded to a hoof-sized alicorn statuette made of bronze and platinum with tiny sapphires for eyes on the workdesk the griffon started fumbling with unconsciously. She scrunched her muzzle, "Plus, this place reeks of cheap wine."

"It reminds me of him," Cromach just mumbled and shook his head, about to stop the topic immediately, "Nevermind, I'm doing my job just fine. We are finally earning enough money to stay afloat with the new batch of police academy cadets. Everything is completely fine."

"I know better than anypony that 'fine' is THE codeword for 'depressed as heck', sir. Trying to work yourself out of it is a good idea, but," she put her front legs on the desk and leaned towards Cromach. Her voice grew warmer, quieter, and full of concern, "but it's been half a year, sir. You're like a machine, just going through the motions. You need to get out, talk to ponies, regain some equinity... avianity... kittenity? Not sure how it is with you griffons."

"Connie, I blew my chance to be happy, that's it. I'm done. All that remains now is to keep this shindig going and fight while I can until I meet somepony stronger and faster who ends this. I don't enjoy talking to ponies anymore, I can't just go out and see a movie about giant monsters who attack Equus and are defeated with a microwave running on full. I've seen worse monsters, real monsters, with my own eyes. I know what is out there, waiting for a chance to strike. Talking to a simple pony, no matter how nice or friendly, just... just doesn't mean anything to me anymore. The only ponies who have been through that with me from the beginning are dead. Do you understand? Heavy Hoof, my friend and a pony who rebuilt this Order from the ground, killed. Choking Darkness, the mare who always kept me from getting complacent, killed! Blazing Light, my best friend and the love of my life," he grips the alicorn statuette tightly, "KILLED! All three of them plus the entire first 'special' team we put together to fight against unnatural threats are dead now. I don't want to do this, I never wanted to do anything like this. All I want is... him."

"Well I don't!" Connie said sharply, making Cromach twitch.

"What?"

The tiny, almost imperceptible growl in the griffon's voice told Connie that her unfortunate choice of words put her on ice thinner than the surface of a bubble. She knew Cromach well enough to know that he wasn't scared of any unnatural threat, or at least his fear wouldn't bother him in the slightest if his lover was still around. Her next words were very carefully thought through.

"Sir," always a good start with somepony just about to boil, "I don't know what you've gone through before the Order. However, you are forgetting, or avoiding, some key details. You, your friends, my team and I... we stopped a god. Not evil alicorn or some dark mage, a GOD. I wish it could have happened without the sacrifices just like you do, but that simply wasn't possible. On top of it, everypony aside from Blazing Light survived the final encounter. We did a fantastic job."

Cromach took a breath, but Connie's raised hoof stopped his desired response.

"I know that right now you would rather see all of us gone and him alive here instead," she shook her head, "but that is my point. You are not the griffon who inspired all of us to go to the sacrificial valley and fight against impossible odds anymore. You are turning into Blaze and... and we don't need-"

"You don't need a hero willing to give up everything just to save all of you from having to suffer? You don't need somepony responsible enough to see the big picture and sacrifice his own future for yours? You don't need-"

"We need a leader," Connie's cold tone interrupted Cromach, "Somepony to inspire us to cooperate, to give us the courage to go on when there is nothing left but pain. The Order doesn't need another reclusive half-myth who shoulders everything on his own with suicidal determination until it's too late. We are a group of ponies, not a single powerful alicorn. We need to work together in case a threat like the last one appears again, and we must start while we are still ahead. I don't want to badmouth Blaze in any respect, but even you must admit the perfect picture of him you are painting for yourself is a glorified nonsense."

"CONNIE!" the only reason Cromach didn't swing at her must have been the shock at somepony daring to disgrace his treasured memory.

"We need you back, sir," she saluted and stared firmly at the wall of pictures behind Cromach, waiting for the response and unwilling to look him in the eyes.

Crom had to reevaluate Connie's words. Every recruit had disliked Blaze at first, Connie being no exception, but in the end they all united under his command and stopped a threat to the entire world.

"I... admit Blaze had his darker and less than stable moments. Damn, I've been there for him whenever I could," Cromach stood up from his armchair and stretched. Connie couldn't stop herself from letting her eyes slide over the griffon's body and gulp down a string of drool, "BUT, you are talking about somepony you knew little to nothing about."

"And guess whose fault it was," she muttered.

That was the killing blow, something Cromach couldn't disprove no matter how hard he might try. No industrial-size rose-tinted goggles could deny the fact that his hero, friend, and lover had not been... the best mentally adjusted pony.

"Is that all?" he asked matter-of-factly in an attempt to bury the topic again. As he refused to return Connie's stare his gaze wandered to the neck of a half-empty wine bottle standing on the carpet.

"No, actually, that was just the first subject on today's agenda," Connie returned to her role of secretary slash assistant slash guardian against dark forces.

"You prepared an agenda?" the griffon facepalmed... facetaloned... something.

"No, not really, just changing the subject, but I've still got two things. First," she levitated a gold-embossed little card and read aloud, "With love and respect, we invite you to Canterlot in hope you attend the elopement ceremony of Leo Goldhorn and Fortune. Blah blah address, blah blah, reply if you're not coming," Connie slid it over the desk to Cromach, "Looks like Leo and Fortune personalized our invitations. Mine was from Fortune and read - come and watch me become a noble, you disowned bitch."

"You know she doesn't mean it," Cromach hid his beak into his talons, snorting. Fortune and Connie had both vied for the leadership of the Order's second special team. In light of Fortune's failure with the first one leading to the death of all other members, Contradiction got the responsibility. While the two competed far beyond any reasonable measure, they eventually used each other's talents to make success possible. Fortune had, after the fight with the god, left the Order with another member of the special team - a unicorn noble Leo Goldhorn. The inviation to their elopement ceremony was something that warmed Crom's heart a lot, although it also reminded him of his own loneliness.

"I can take a joke, sir, trust me. I already picked the perfect gift for her," Connie's evil chuckle could make any dark lord give up his job and go to MareDonald's for retraining," I couldn't be happier that those two are finally making it official."

"Did they invite Shadowstep and the guys?"

Cromach was talking about a unit of changelings currently responsible for training the normal Order recruits.

"Of course they did, however since you've been... neglecting the recruit lessons they are beyond busy. Plus, Starlight is in the Griffon Empire on business so Shadowstep has to do the unicorn recruits as well. They are sending gifts but they aren't coming."

"I'm not sure I should go. You know, not to ruin their special evening with... my baggage," Crom frowned.

"You are coming," Connie just shrugged. Mares with genuinely good intentions have some special talent for persuading stubborn guys, "It's on Tuesday. Strange timing if you ask me, but who am I to judge?"

"Alright," the griffon gave up. It was for his own good, he kept repeating himself in an attempt to believe it.

"Plus, there's a ton of nobles invited so you might get used to some company again."

"Don't push your luck, Connie."

"Just saying," she hummed angelically.

"So, you said three things on the 'agenda'."

"Oh, ehm, yes," the corners of Connie's mouth twitched, "With Leo, Fortune, and Straw leaving the Order and you making no moves to find new special recruits I could work with, the royal sisters thought it would be a good idea to... help."

"So, did they send some stuck up ex-Royal Guards? I mean, you were right in saying we need to start training them as soon as possible, especially with the increasing cases of rogue necromancers reported in all big cities," Cromach shook his head, "Damn, something must have happened to Void. He would never let this grow so much. I'll have to talk to the sisters to send me to his realm," he ended up mumbling to himself.

"Sir!" Connie gave a loud cough, "What did I say about not trying to do stuff alone? We will visit the alicorn of Death together when the time's right. I, for one, am not keen on meeting something that might have forced him to withdraw his protection from the departing souls. A trained team might help, wink -freaking- wink!" she blinked so hard her eyelids could snap a two-by-four.

The subtlety of a hammer to the face got through to Cromach who sighed.

"Fine, Celestia's driftwood. Guards then?"

"No, not exactly," Connie laughed nervously, "I just think the sisters may have taken the term 'special' a little too seriously."

"How many of them have only three legs?" Crom facetaloned again. He was getting good at it and had the feeling his practice wasn't going to stop anytime soon.

"Oh, none."

"Good."

"Although two of them have only two and the last one... has a lot of teeth."


	3. Winds Of Change: New

Following Contradiction through the red-carpeted hallways of the Order mansion, Cromach grumbled:

"First you tell me not to bury myself in work and now you're throwing more at me on Friday evening."

Connie flicked her tail, slapping Cromach's side.

"No, I'm not. Fridays are for drinking with friends and chilling out, and since I know you're not going to do either I wanted to pull you out of yourself in a different way. The newbies aren't work, more like a humorous distraction you so desperately need."

"I don't-"

"You DO, sir. With all due respect and all the other fake jazz."

"Seriously, what's wrong with them?"

"Well, the letter from princess Celestia said they had nowhere to go and could attend training immediately. I'll leave the details to you since there's a lot of light still left in the day."

"So, more desperate street urchins?"

Connie coughed meaningfully. Cromach looked away, scratching his head.

"Sorry. I didn't mean anything bad by that."

"I know, sir, just teasing."

"Now will you stop and tell me what could be so weird about them that you keep grinning every time I ask? I mean in our first group there was a minotaur, an earthpony, a satyr, you, and a dreamling."

Dreamlings were a strand of changelings arriving into this dimension by accident. The name came from the original of Nightmare changelings they got when their kind was twisted by victorious Nightmare Moon from a different plane of reality. They had succeeded in wiping out all life on their planet on Nightmare Moon's orders and in desperation they used an improvised travelling spell that led them to the Equestria we all know and love. It had been either that or starvation. Not under the influence of Nightmare anymore, their tiny hive quickly became stalwart protectors against any scheme Nightmare in this reality put in motion. The name change came mostly for public relations.

They both took few seconds of silence for the mentioned dead. Connie's face turned from mischievous to serious. She was supposed to be a part of the first Order team, but her lack of strength had prevented that from happening, pretty much saving her life. The second team that she had been the leader of had survived in its entirety, almost. Walter Grant, a griffon exiled from the Empire had laid down his life to save Connie when she made a fatally wrong decision in critical combat situation. Connie might not have been a great leader, but she at least remembered all those who deserved it.

"Fine, one's a minotaur, one's a satyr, and the last one... she looks sort of like a pony but I've never seen anything like her before. Princess Celestia's letter was kind of vague in that respect."

As they passed through ornate wooden gate of the mansion, the cool inside of the building gave way to still hot summer evening outside. Blinded by the sun, Cromach had to shield his eyes and admit he might have been spending just a little too much time inside. Their steps on the white cobblestone road leading from the mansion entrance to the barred and guarded gate separating Manehattan outskirts and the Order proper were completely lost in the gasping, screaming, and cursing of Order recruits undergoing their evening training. The mansion was surrounded by lawns on all sides which were cut off from the rest of the world by a wall forming a square with the building in its center. Considering the areas to the left of the mansion-outside gate road were still grass and not dead, stomped ground under the milling of the ponies in training, the Order gardener definitely deserved a raise.

The grassy ground to the right of the road was empty aside from three figures of varying sizes. Following Connie towards them, Cromach gave them a quick once-over.

One was a male satyr with short dark grey mane... hair or whatever they called it. Just like all of their kind, his body was covered in hair the same colour as those on his head from the waist down. Unlike ponies, satyrs usually wore clothes -at least according to Fortune, the only one Crom had met before- and this one was no exception in his unbuttoned white shirt and dark green pants. He jumped up when he saw the duo approach and stood to attention.

The other supposed new recruit was a minotaur female, and the top of the satyr's head was at her shoulder height. Minotaurs grew hair all over, and her dark yellow turning to brown covering rippled in soft wind. The only clothing on her muscular figure was a simple loincloth, and Cromach couldn't help cracking a twisted smile when he came close enough to spot the grey satyr's eyes dart to the minotaur's bare chest and barely covered behind. She herself was less than interested in her 'companions' and watched the training ponies across the road.

The final 'newbie' was indeed a strange creature. Overall, she looked like a smaller and lean earthpony mare, only with talons on her front legs, larger ears, and a long, prehensile tail ending in a little duster. Unusual, but definitely not as unsettling as Contradiction had made it seem. The bright pink eyes staring at approaching Cromach were alright as well, and her rusty brown coat and mane dotted with golden veins of freckles definitely leaned more towards adorable than sinister. However, that all changed when she smiled. Nopony should be able to bare that much razor-sharp teeth at once. In her presence, 'grinning from ear to ear' stopped being a figure of speech and became a terrifying reality.

It really, really didn't help that she looked genuinely happy to see Cromach and Connie, as betrayed by her -oh, gods, help, it's gonna eat me!- smile and wagging of her long tail.

Cromach had seen giant tentacle gods trying to eat the world, half-liquid and fully insane corrupted alicorns set on devouring his mind, and a batpony mare pissed off at him for trying to steal her coltfriend. In light of those, one weird mostly-a-pony trying to look helpful and failing rated only about three eldrich horrors out of ten.

The first one on Cromach's list was the minotaur. She was a good one to start with because unlike the other two she looked sure of herself...

...no, it definitely was NOT for the boobs, but they did get in the way when Cromach came close and looked up. Connie chuckled quietly to herself, she knew her boss.

The interview, however, started in a different fashion. The minotaur spoke first.

"Are you a leader worth following?" she asked, not bothering to hide her firm belief that the answer was a resounding 'no'.

"No," Cromach replied, completely calm, "You will be working under Contradiction," he nodded to Connie and winked. The unicorn grit her teeth to stop a grin aswering the minotaur's disbelieving and insulted expression. Cromach turned back and stared straight at the minotaur's clearly defined abs, "Name?"

"Under that skinny runt?" the minotaur stomped the grass, grinding her teeth and staring daggers at Connie.

"Her name is Anvil," Connie stoically levitated a letter from her compact saddlebag and unrolled it, "She comes from-"

"I can answer for myself, unicorn!" Anvil bellowed.

"Then do so and don't waste our time," Connie didn't even raise her voice, folded the letter neatly into its envelope, and hid it again into her saddlebag.

Anvil's eye twitched and the fingers on her right hand rolled into a fist. She huffed and looked down at Cromach who was losing interest with her every word. To him she was just another hothead.

"I come from Rift, the Heartseeker clan," Anvil calmed down, "I resided there for two months after my return from a tour with the Griffon Foreign Legion. The new capital city is a wonder in a sense, but it makes my kind soft. I came down from the northern tundra to seek a real challenge. So far, all I found was blistering heat and weaklings ogling what they can't handle," she folded her arms, pushing the mounds of her breasts up, and gave both Cromach and the satyr an amused and arrogant smile.

"Does the name Blazing Light ring a bell?" Cromach didn't bother defending himself and circled Anvil, taking in every detail of her body. He wasn't interested in it anymore, he just wanted to know how far the minotaur can be pushed.

"The Dark Prophet and warleader Darkhorn united the minotaur clans under single banner and founded Rift. The alicorn's statue graces the main square of the city. Every minotaur knows the name Blazing Light, both city dwellers and wild tribes."

"You asked if I was worthy leader," Cromach looked Anvil in her brown eyes, "In your twisted world it means if I am strong enough. Just let me tell you I gave your Dark Prophet's ponut both cream glaze and filling and made him beg for more."

The satyr blushed and looked straight down, Connie bit her hoof not to start laughing, the pony abomination tilted her head questioningly, and Anvil...

...Anvil swung at Cromach.

The griffon leaned away only a fraction, feeling Anvil's fist pass by his beak. Using as little movement as possible, he just grabbed her leg and pulled. Anvil lost her balance and made a perfect split on the grass, something she clearly was not used to as her agonized howl showed everyone around.

"Also, Blazing Light was an excellent unarmed fighter with whom I had many chances to spar."

Growling in pain, Anvil gathered herself a little and hissed:

"Insulting the Prophet is a crime amongst my kind, griffon."

Crom narrowed his eyes, his standing form casting shadow on the kneeling minotaur.

"I said nothing insulting or untrue. Blazing Light was my partner, the love of my life, and my best friend. You saying I would ever hurt his memory in any way is insulting to me."

Scowling Anvil looked him at him and met a steel stare full of pride and pain she couldn't handle. She bowed her head.

"If what you are saying is true, then I... apologize. If it is not, you better put all your affairs in order."

Without a word, Cromach moved towards the satyr. Standing on all fours, the griffon's head was at the height of his chest. The grey satyr attempted a salute, which meant shoving his hand somewhere in the vicinity of his forehead. He was clearly intimidated by Cromach.

"And you are?" the griffon's question came out significantly softer than the one for Anvil.

"As-Astray, sir," his voice was barely steady, "I am a satyr, sir. Half pony, half... well, something minotaur-like. I'm not really sure-"

"I know what a satyr is," Cromach's raised taloned arm stopped Astray's hasty explanation, "You are an orphan, I suppose."

Astray nodded hesitantly.

"Yes, sir. I was dropped off in the Crystal Empire."

"I've met one satyr before and she was an orphan as well. It seems that ponies drunk enough to sleep with whatever creature the other half of you is aren't the best parents."

"I cannot say, sir," the topic, while uncomfortable, made Astray calm down a little.

"Doesn't matter anyway. You are you, not an extension of your family's failure," Cromach smiled at Astray, "How did you get here?"

"I survived an expedition through the Badlands to the Forbidden Jungle in the south. We got attacked by a rogue group of changelings who lived there after the failed Canterlot invasion, cut off from the main hive. They had no idea about any peace treaty and just wanted me and the other members of the caravan as food. I, uh, offered myself as a willing sacrifice, which apparently means a lot more than just a stolen, hypnotized, and forcibly drained pony to them. A... friend who got me to the caravan was against it and when the fight was about to start I sort of, umm, hugged the leading changeling into submission."

Connie and Crom burst out laughing, Anvil rolled her eyes and mouthed 'idiot', and the abomination's pupils went wide as she stared at Astray like he was the biggest hero ever.

"Now that's a story I'll have to hear in full one day," Cromach nodded to the large bag behind Astray, "What have you got there?"

"Well, for reuniting the changelings with queen Chrysalis' hive and ensuring the caravan's safe passage through the Badlands and back, princess Celestia ordered a set of armor made for me. I wanted to join another caravan to get some experience and maybe become a professional caravan guard one day, but the princess offered me a chance to come here for training."

"Astray, you seem like a normal pony- person. Did the princess tell you what you are getting into?"

"She said it would be immensely dangerous, sir."

"And?"

"Sir, I... most ponies think I'm scary. I don't belong anywhere. The only reason I joined the nearly suicidal caravan trip was because I failed to find any job from Crystal Empire to Canterlot. Both here and with the caravan, I just wished to do at least some good before the inevitable end even if it meant only taking a blow for somepony worth it."

Cromach stared, memories of a bronze alicorn rushing through his head. He knew better than Astray could ever know where that mental road led. If pursued with enough conviction it ended in heroism... but the kind that left behind scars in others that would never ever heal.

He raised his arm to shake Astray's, who looked genuinely surprised. Talons met fingers, and Cromach said:

"Welcome to the Order. If you are lucky, you will find what you need here. If not, you will find what you seek.

Leaving slightly confused Astray, Cromach walked over to the only 'recruit' smaller than he was, but by a lot. The abomination's face portrayed slightly nervous, but helpful and happy expression toothier than a saw blade.

"And who or what in the gates of Tartarus are you?"

"My mom always said I wasn't a mistake but a happy little accident," the creature answered in a cheerful tone of a filly in a bouncy castle, not that squeaky and young, but doubly enthusiastic.

"Okay," Cromach had to shift gears for this one, "What do other ponies call you?"

"AAAAAAAAH!" it... she waved her legs in an attempt to depict somepony terrified beyond belief and probably about to die, "That, or 'Do not let it anywhere near me!'. 'Go away!' is short and good one if you need something to call me."

"Princess Celestia's letter said we should call her Bubbles," Connie interrupted, ignoring Anvil's horrified expression of realization what she was about to work with.

"Oh, and mom called me Bubbles," Bubbles finished as if nothing happened and she was planning to say that all along.

On Cromach's raised eyebrow, Connie skimmed through the letter again in case she had forgotten something, then she gave it to him.

"Her 'mom' was a demonologist in the high circles of Canterlot wizards. She kept consorting with pleasure demons and experimenting on murder demons until both of her interests went horribly wrong and she got pregnant. Bubbles here was locked in a mage tower for all of her life until her mother failed a summoning ritual and got killed. Celestia's note said to be nice to her and not think about it too hard."

Cromach looked at the end of the section about Bubbles. It really was there - don't think about it too hard. All signed and stamped with the royal seal. He decided he had enough for one evening and obeyed the suggestion.

"Is that all you can tell us about yourself?" he asked Bubbles.

"I can bite through steel rails and plate armor. I already apologized to the guard pony," she pouted. How she could fit all those teeth into a pony mouth was far beyond Crom.

"A useful talent if ever I saw one," he nodded. Something, maybe a little spark of annoyance at Celestia's and by extension Connie's interruption of his depressed evening, made itself remembered and he crumpled up the letter into a tight ball.

"Bubbles," Cromach smiled at the creature who wagged her tail and outclassed his smile tenfold, and swung his arm, "Fetch!"

The paper ball was in the air only a fraction of a second when Bubbles jumped three pony heights into the air and caught it in her mouth. She landed just few meters away from Crom.

"Here you go," she spat it out. Cromach didn't dare to touch the corroding and hissing paper, "Oops, sorry."

Cromach couldn't even tease Bubbles when her ears half bigger than those of a normal pony drooped and she looked as if expecting him to slap her.

"That's alright, I already read all the princess wrote," he ruffled Bubbles' mane. Her cheer returned instantly and Crom twitched away just in time to prevent her from licking his arm, "Connie?"

"Yes, sir?"

"They're all yours. See what they can do before we send them to Cross and he puts them through a blender."

"You're not going to do it yourself?"

"No, I'll write our official replies to Leo's invitations."

Connie nodded, a little warmer on the inside. She saw it in Cromach that they were both going to Canterlot together for sure.

"Alright, guys," her voice turned business-like, "We'll have a quick practice. Tomorrow, you'll start training under our grandmaster of arms who _will_ beat you up. Astray, you're first. Anvil," Connie pointed to a shed nearby, "Go there, grab a grey crate, and bring it here."

"-"

"You can argue when you prove you are worth my time," Connie ended the minotaur's response before it began.

It was clear to everyone she wasn't messing around anymore. To Anvil's credit, she carried the heavy crate under one arm without even heavier breathing. When Connie opened it it proved to be full of fake swords, axes, and other weapons of varying sizes and shapes.

"Each of you find a weapon of choice. The ones we use for practical training are dull but weigh the same as real weapons. The ones you will use for style training with Cross are much heavier to build muscle."

"Heh," Anvil flexed her biceps, grabbing a heavy mace any other species would consider a two or even more handed weapon, or possibly something needing a group effort, in one hand. Connie rolled her eyes, clearly growing tired of the display.

"Alright, Astray, I'm an evil unicorn warrior trying to take over the world. Stop me or you'll be a slave pet for my twisted sexual desires."

"Wha-?" Astray lowered his practice sword just in time to recieve a levitating blade in his ribs. Connie didn't go overboard with the blow, but he would have serious bruises tomorrow.

"Don't get distracted," Connie gave him a sly smile, "Or maybe I should have said stop me or you _won't_ be my sexy slave colt toy."

Astray didn't get baited a second time. Several wide swings followed, each easily blocked and proving that Astray has never had any real weapon training. Connie didn't even need to move. Her levitating sword stopped the satyr in his tracks, disarmed him, and tripped him up. Astray bit his lip at Anvil's snort of contempt at his lack of skill.

"Alright, a beginner. Cross likes beginners, they don't have any bad habits ingrained," Connie flourished her sword, "So, how about somepony with some really, _really_ annoying bad habits?"

"Heh heh, and I almost thought you would chicken out and not ask," Anvil gripped her oversized weapon, "The griffon would be a worthy partner or mate. You, on the other hand-"

Anvil blocked the swing of Connie's flying blade.

"You talk too much, _weakling_ ," Contradiction's horn blazed with power directly contesting the pushback from Anvil.

Seeing her possible loss in contest of sheer power, Anvil spun to the side, misdirecting Connie's sword cleaving the ground. A quick lunge forward later, she swung wide with enough power to break the unicorn's bones even with a padded weapon. Connie wasn't anywhere inside the arc, though, but rather by Anvil's side. She turned and bucked up with her hind legs, knocking Anvil off balance. Connie's sword hit the knuckles on Anvil's hands, forcing her to drop her mace.

With Anvil disarmed and on the ground, Connie lowered her weapon and...

...recieved a full-strength kick from the minotaur. Even with no swing, just a powerful push, the blow made Connie spin in the air and roll on the ground.

"Evil 'warrior' disposed of, if a little mare like you can be called that," Anvil stood up, looking down on Connie shaking her head and seeing red.

In some way, Anvil was very stupid and now it was crystal clear. The monochromatic unicorn bleeding from her muzzle had a lesson to teach.

Anvil cracked her neck and raised her warmace again.

"Round two?"

"Round ONE. And by the way, call Cromach _your worthy mate_ one more time, and I will flay you alive," Connie growled.


	4. Winds Of Change: Sides

The grass around Contradiction trembled under unseen force.

Finger after finger, Anvil's grip was forcibly removed from her weapon. Rope-like muscles bulged in the attempt to fight the invisible pressure, and failed with each inch of the involuntary movement of Anvil's limbs. Connie licked the blood trickling from the corner of her mouth.

Anvil rose from the ground, her arms and legs bending against her will behind her back. The minotaur fought through each passing second, but the livid unicorn had none of it. In a series of cracks, Anvil screamed. Not with rage this time, but with pure agony of joints being torn in half.

Then it all stopped right before crippling Anvil for life and the limp minotaur fell on the grass, breathing heavily and twitching. Connie walked over, unsteady herself after such exhausting use of power, and rolled Anvil on her back. She groaned as her bodyweight fell again on her abused limbs, but still glared at Connie with defiance.

"Unicorns and their magic," Anvil hissed, "Fight me like a real-"

She shut up as she felt the skin of her throat tearing. Squinting to her neck, she saw nothing but Connie's hoof, but something had clearly cut her like a razor. Anvil was quick to guess, though. The unicorn was able to use her mind to create a grasp and pressure. Who was to say she couldn't make it form a blade?

"I will say this only once, so listen carefully, you oversized milk tank," Connie put her full weight on her other front leg crushing Anvil's breast. The minotaur could easily, if her arms didn't feel numb and yet filled with hot needles, raise Connie in one hand and likely throw her over the Order proper wall. She was well aware, though, that just under Connie's hoof, through the soft flesh of her mound, some muscle, and ribs, was her heart, something easy enough to reach with a thin and sharp object. In defeat, although possibly only a temporary one, Anvil nodded. Connie's hoof left her thick neck, "Everypony, everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. My gift and curse at the same time is telekinesis, you may have thighs strong enough to crush Astray's skull, and he might even enjoy it," the satyr looked at Anvil's loincloth partially dislodged by the fall, blushed, and looked away, "but strength and skill can be trained. What is here," Connie gave Anvil's head a soft kick, "and here," her warm underhoof brushed over the minotaur's nipple. She DID mean the heart, but as her rage was fading she was feeling a little experimental with her submitted foe, "is more important. We will have to work as a team. We are all 'weaklings' in comparison to what we are to stand against, but together we just might be strong enough."

Connie walked off of Anvil, then turned around and kicked her hard in the ribs.

"And teammates should help each other, so if you ever attack me again after I'm done with you because you clearly lost, I will really tie your hands behind your back. Understood?"

Gritting her teeth, Anvil sat up, feeling up her hands and legs for any serious injuries. Connie could have pressured her, but she decided to give the minotaur time. Hesitating, Anvil finished her self check-up and looked straight at Connie.

"I will learn," she begrudgingly admitted. The minotaur turned her head to Astray and Bubbles, "but I expect others to keep up with me."

"Well said," Connie nodded, took a deep breath, and levitated her practice greatsword again, "Bubbles, you're next."

"Umm, mom always said I'm supposed to be nice to ponies so they aren't scared and don't try to set fire to me or bring a priest," Bubbles was unsure what to do.

"You are here to learn to protect ponies, sometimes from other ponies. I get you don't want to harm anypony, but you at least need to disarm the bad guys or save your friends from a dangerous blow."

"Oooh!" Bubbles grinned, sending shiver down Connie's spine. It was adorable, it really was, until one remembered that a platemail was not enough protection against a bite from that muzzle, "I can take a hit! Mom had a friend who had this big bat and a room with cages. We used to play for hours. I like bouncing."

"Uhh, what?" Connie tilted her head. That sounded like some weird kind of abuse. Perhaps Bubbles just had no idea what was going on at the time?

"Hit me, hit me!" Bubbles jumped up and down excitedly.

"Alright, I'm an evil whatsowhat and you're trying to stop me... or play baseball with me. I'm not really sure at this point."

"Wheeee!" the rusty pony-like thing jumped at Connie like a bullet.

The unicorn was ready, batting her away with the flat of the blade. Bubbles bounced off of the nearby wall, rolled a little, jumped back on all fours and ran at Connie one more time.

"Again! Again! Again!"

After few practice swings, some even with the 'edge' of the dull blade, Connie had to admit the half-demon in pony form had some enviable resistance to normal weapons. A final smack where Connie let herself go sent Bubbles away in a straight line at Astray. The demon was snatched mid-air by Anvil, sending them both rolling with the strength of the impact.

"Hee hee hee," Bubbles licked Anvil's face when they got untangled from a rolling ball, and stood back up.

The 'Oh shit I goofed!' expression of Contradiction gave way to relief when it was clear Anvil's muzzle was neither melting not disintegrating. Connie tried to restore some kind of order to the training.

"So, yes, you can take some serious punishment, I get it. You still need to learn to fight. Now, try and take away my weapon at least."

Bubbles pulled a practice sword out of the weapon crate and raised it up uncertainly in her front legs- taloned arms. Trying to imitate Anvil and Astray, she stood on her hind legs, made few wobbly steps, and then keeled over backwards under the sword's weight.

"Sorry," Bubbles mumbled, trying to hold the sword again.

"You know what? Try to hold the handle with your mouth, some ponies do that when they decide to use a sword," Connie gave her a tip.

"Okay!" was Bubbles' much happier answer.

"Now block my swing."

"Oophay!"

The practice blades met, Bubbles gripped the handle tightly, the impact shook her entire body, and something broke.

"Aw crap!" Connie facehoofed, trying with all her might to ignore Astray's chuckling and Anvil's open laughter.

Bubbles had bitten down so hard she was left with only a piece of the sword handle in her mouth after Connie's strike. The rest of the handle, the hilt and the blade lay on the grass next to her in pieces.

"Mom always made me sweep the lab whenever I broke something," Bubbles spat the handle out and gave Connie a helpful smile of a dragon mouth overdosed on Colgate. The toothpaste, not the pony. She looked down at the shiny remains of her sword, "This is going to be a lot of sweeping."

"Fine, one final time," Connie flourished her blade again, "This time try to take away my weapon using any way you think would work. If I hit you and you lose balance, I win. If you take my weapon, you win... and sir Cromach won't make you sweep the whole mansion."

Connie swung, and her blade suddenly became a lot heavier. Bubbles was holding the levitating weapon in her mouth while dangling from it like a ragdoll. Waving the blade around curiously, Connie made a mental note never to be on the recieving end of Bubbles' bite, because no matter how hard she tried, Bubbles held the blade in the way of a rabid pitbull.

"Ffuud Ah wet go?" Bubbles mumbled when Connie just let the blade hover in the air, watching it with disbelief and confusion.

"I'm still not disarmed."

Bubbles bit down and landed on all fours among a shower of metal shards.

"Phoo!" she spat out bits of steel.

"Hmmm, I think Cross might know something about diamond dog combat techniques," Connie shrugged, "If not, I'll think of something. Astray?"

"Yes, miss?" the satyr stood to attention.

"Help Anvil put the weapon crate back. Bubbles, pick all the mess up and put it in a trash bin in the tool shed. When you're done, ask the receptionist in the mansion lobby about where you'll be staying."

"Do I get my own closet?" Bubbles asked hopefully, "I mean, a cage is fine too. Just not the pet carrier, I didn't like the pet carrier," she ended with much less enthusiasm.

Connie and Astray looked at her in shock, and even Anvil grit her teeth. Bubbles was little below the size of an adult mare. Pet carriers... weren't.

"Ehm," Connie coughed when she recovered from the mental image, "Our rooms are usually meant for two or four ponies and at this time of the year the Order is pretty full. The Royal Guard starts recruiting during autumn so the guys training here want to be ready over summer. I think I can do some arrangements so you get one of the larger rooms. Anvil counts for two ponies anyway."

"So... no cage?" Bubbles clearly didn't understand.

"You get a bed in a shared room with those two and you can walk around the compound as much as you like, just don't bother other recruits during training."

Bubbles stared at her, paralyzed but with eyes wide, smile even wider, and tail whipping the ground so hard it made dirt fly.

"Clean up first," Connie couldn't stop a quiet laugh in the presence of such pure joy.

The rusty and gold blur rushing around with muzzle in the grass not to miss the tiniest piece of shattered metal was too precious to ignore.

"Oh, and you two," Connie winked at Anvil holding the weapon crate at chest height and Astray trying to help by propping it with his shoulder, "The shower schedule is up to you to figure out, but I would advise that Anvil takes the bottom bunk. Our beds are made for ponies, and if something happened to one you might end up having to share. But that wouldn't be a problem for such good _teammates_ , would it?"

Astray looked up. Anvil looked down, eyes narrowing.

Connie left, she didn't want to cause even more mayhem. After all, there was always tomorrow.

* * *

She groaned under the assault of a splitting headache. She was lying on something cold and hard. No, everything was ice-cold. Her vision was swimming and her breath escaped her more like a long, shivering gasp. Everything was dark, but even without any visible light source she could make out blurry lines in her waking world.

She remembered only flickering images, each disappearing when she focused on it. Galloping, grass, building, darkness, shock, pain.

Forcing herself to calm down, she stopped her legs from twitching and concentrated just on breathing. It helped. The searing pain surging through her skull remained, but became manageable while she was distracted by moving her legs with better and better coordination. After several minutes, she was sure she could at least sit up without passing out again. As she did so, a strange sensation spread through her chest, something she had never felt before, and as she lowered her muzzle to have a look, she saw a barely-healed scar not covered by her brown coat.

A click.

Light blinded her merely for a fraction of a second before her eyes adjusted perfectly. She was in an enclosed room full of flasks, beakers, and other accessories normally associated with chemistry. Open books lay spread all over desks, depicting simple pentagrams and much more complicated magical symbols. She could easily make out even the smallest letters and pictures from where she sat, no detail escaped her. The room had to be some wizard's laboratory. Muscle memory returning like a rumbling river, she vaulted from the steel operating table she was on into the pose of a trained Royal Guard ready for anything.

"That took a lot less time than I expected."

She knew the voice. She had heard it only once before, but your murderer's voice is something to remember.

Black Shield's muscles tensed in preparation to lunge at the unicorn entering the lab...

... and she failed to move an inch.

"Now," the dark purple unicorn with rusty red mane smiled, "I am sure you will have plenty of time to explore your new body, slave."

The word _slave_ sent jolts of pleasure throughout Shield's body, making her eyes roll to the back of her head. The unicorn noticed and his smile twisted into a sadistic grin.

"Carrot and a stick, always works except for the undead where the rule is a carrot and, well, you don't have any free will and can't feel much pain anyway. With that little show out of the way, let us begin. What is your name?"

Shield wanted to charge at the unicorn, trample him under her hooves, bring him to custody for questioning, or at least scream at him, but her body didn't react to anything other than when she finally gave up and said:

"Black Shield, and who are you?"

He had some sort of control over her, that was clear, and right now she had no way of countering it, earthpony or not. She had to think and observe.

The unicorn was skinny, just like any one of those sitting endlessly while studying arcane secrets. He was well-groomed, which told Shield he wasn't just some insane loner gone mad with power. This unicorn was a normal member of society, aside from attacking Royal Guards. A quick peek at his cutie mark depicting a glowing question mark sadly didn't give anything important away.

He might not have been a murderer either. After all, Shield was here and still standing. She felt better than ever - stronger, faster, senses flaring and taking in every little detail. Her muscles were warming up after what had to be a long sleep...

...no, they weren't. She was just getting more and more used to the eternal cold.

"You can call me 'master' or 'owner'. That is what I am to you," he said.

Shield panicked for a second, reports and newspaper articles about crimes associated with the dead, graverobbers, and dark magic spreading through Equestria racing through her mind. She forgot to breathe in shock.

Literally.

It didn't bother her. However, no words came out when she tried to speak so she had no choice but to do it again, this time consciously.

"You killed and raised me, you cr-" her mouth stopped the words 'crazy bastard'.

The unicorn raised an eyebrow and gave her a smug grin.

"Told you you'd have enough time to grow to understand your body."

Black Shield growled:

"Master..."

The perfect feeling of 'rightness', 'true purpose', and 'fulfillment of her destiny' coursing through her was better than any physical contact she'd ever had. The final part sent chill down her spine and she turned her head to look back at her flank. Her cutie mark, an obsidian shield, was well and truly gone.

Her master noticed the panicked look.

"Can't expect a mudpony to understand the intricacies of complex magic, so I'll tell you the basics."

"NO, WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME?" was all Black Shield's body allowed her to do. She was trying to avoid it, but the reality was beating at the walls of her mind without stopping.

"Are you familiar with skeletons? The necromantic constructs, not the definition of pony bone structure."

Shield closed her eyes, shaking, and nodded. Communicating was better than sorting out the consequences of her... death.

"Well, under normal circumstances they are just mindless dolls with limited use. On top of that, they need a lot of magic to keep going. You are a zombie."

Curiosity winning over blind horror, Shield forced herself to ask a question. Mostly because she felt zero desire for brains, grains, or to shuffle around like she remembered from the movies.

"Aren't... aren't those the same thing? Only infectious and with rotting flesh? Braaaaaains?" her body allowed her to raise her front legs and moan in a good likeness of a walking corpse. It _did_ come naturally, Shield had to admit.

"Stories of commoners," the unicorn waved his hoof and started fiddling with chemical stuff on one of the workbenches. Shield wasn't good at 'chemical stuff'. To her the hissing concoctions might as well have been herbal tea mixes, "The infection part, that is. Zombies, of course, can be made into dolls just like skeletons but those smell, drop bits all the time, and the brains they crave don't help with their own stupidity. Maybe that's why they want more all the time. No, you are a different sort."

The master pointed to the operating table on which a magical symbol was drawn.

"Through a rather complicated ritual and several rare ingredients, a pony can be reconstructed just like a zombie but without the degenerative side effects. Plus, if the ritual is done right, it allows the summoner to harness the power of the original pony's mind to perform tasks without the need for direct control, but with the option. Let's say I need you to fight for me," master's voice took on a lecturing tone he seemed to be good at, "I have little to no experience with scrapping, but your mind would draw your best experience to fulfill my command. There are lots of rules and orders inside you which will prevent you from harming me or my plan, but you still remain, at least partially, yourself. Of course, as I'm sure you noticed, your obedience can feel very _rewarding_."

"So I'm not going to rot over time?"

"No, there is a power core inside your chest keeping the spell going. It just needs occasional recharging which is something only I can do."

Carefully taking few exploratory steps, Black Shield walked around the laboratory. Of course, when she set her mind to grabbing a glass vial and ramming it through the unicorn's eyesocket the thought didn't even reach her legs. Her mind denied any attempt to leave the room as well.

Still, she _could_ move in a way. She had no idea how much time passed from her death and whether her family got the news, but her guard instincts took over. Magic of the level required to raise her into this state must have been something unusual. She needed to find out more about this unicorn and use what little freedom she had to think of a way to, if not stop, then at least hinder his plan... whatever it was.

"Why did you waste all this time and magic on me?" Shield asked. It seemed the spell didn't inhibit her thoughts, only actions. Rule one, discovered.

"You were in the wrong place at the wrong time, that is simply it. A pegasus, thestral, or a unicorn would be better, but we couldn't afford too much attention."

"A disappeared guard isn't too much attention?"

"Crimes caused by magic leave little trace if done correctly. You went into the workshop, there was a fight, you disappeared. Just another crime commited by just another necromancer for just another crazy reason," his tone clearly said he considered himself different which didn't go unnoticed by Shield. Guards were trained in methods of questioning ponies without seeming conspicuous.

While Shield pondered her situation again, her owner turned from his chemistry project and levitated a vial of bubbling blue goo towards her.

"Drink!"

She didn't even bother resisting and just snatched the hovering tube and emptied it. It tasted faintly of apples for some reason.

"Meh, you could use a bartending course," Shield muttered, partially in disbelief that she was allowed to say it, "What was it?"

"Just something to improve your body's functions. Strength, stamina, less reliance on oxygen for muscle use, and other things. I'll be pumping a lot of these into you over our time together. Now, we have two final things to take care of. First, a definite test of whether my control spell is working," the unicorn's horn flashed red, and a bound and gagged middle-aged mare wearing some sort of cleaning apron appeared on the operating table. She thrashed around, but the ropes binding her didn't budge.

"Open the box next to the table, my little pet, you'll know what to do next," he ordered.

Shield sighed, quickly realizing what somepony who didn't hesitate to murder a Guard would want her to do. The carboard box contained two things Shield knew painfully well - horseshoes with complex locks allowing two curved blades to slide out and be used as a melee weapon.

 _You'll know what to do next..._

She decided to do another test. Next... next she should, quite obviously, put them on.

The locks clicked around the fetlocks of her front legs, and she looked at her master. Her body made no moves to hurt the mare staring at her with wide, terrified eyes.

 _I am sorry. I'm not going to be able to stop it when it comes, miss. I swear to you, though, that I will make this bastard pay for it if it is the last thing I do. It will be the last thing I do._

"Oh for stars' sake, slit her throat!" the unicorn scowled when he realized his command hadn't worked as he dramatically planned.

"MMMMMHM!" the mare resumed her thrashing and wiggling.

Shield's hoof pressed her firmly against the steel table. She was terrified at her own new strength. The blades slid out as she raised her hoof and flicked her fetlock in a way she'd done hundreds of times before. Slitting the mare's throat would make noise, cause mess, and possibly lead somepony here, wherever this place was, or at least leave a trace.

On the other hoof, the mare would die in agony. As a Royal Guard, no matter the circumstances, Shield couldn't allow that. He only wanted her dead, that's all. Shield aimed lower and drove the blade between the mare's ribs right to her heart. The violent movements stopped in mere seconds.

So there was a way to trick the spell, and it was connected to her perception of events.

"Done," Shield withdrew the hoof blades and turned to her master, raw hatred etched on her face.

The master raised his hoof, red glow enveloped the mare's body which dissipated into a shower of painfully familiar red sparks absorbed by the unicorn.

"You are quite the troublesome one," the unicorn didn't look displeased, "but I like the fire in you. It will be so much sweeter when I stomp it out!"

"This ends only in your death, mage," Black Shield spat out. Her owner just laughed.

"No, that's where it only begins, _slave_ ," the words distorted Shield's world again with pure need spreading from her loins, "Now, present yourself to your master."

Shield turned her back to him, pressed her muzzle to the floor and raised her backside.

"Yes, a unicorn or a pegasus would serve me better skill-wise, but an earthpony flank is something to be admired. As they say, all work and no play..."

The unicorn mounted her. Shield bit down on her steel horseshoe as he plowed her. It didn't take long, he was obviously not used to it, but it would have been easier for her if her body didn't force her to feel his every touch as distilled heaven.

"Those earthpony 'assets' might just grow on me," the master huffed, stepping away from the drooling mess Black Shield was after his ministrations, "Get up and stop panting. You'll get a lot more soon enough."

Rising on trembling legs, Shield couldn't speak. She could barely think, and most of her movement was just her body working on its own.

The unicorn pushed a shelf in the corner of the room to the side, making a panel on the wall behind it slide away and reveal a dark tunnel.

"Let's go, we have things to do."


	5. Need For Power: Scouting

Nights in Canterlot were never dark. The number of glowing windows, electric, gas, and firefly lamps in the streets, and in some cases even unicorns themselves walking around surrounded by dim shimmer made the entire mountainside city cast a ray of light towards the sky like a searchlight. Aside from that, of course, ten o'clock during summertime wasn't the darkest affair anyway.

However, it was dark enough.

The shadow hiding a brown earthpony with only slightly withering blonde mane offered just the right amount of protection from prying eyes. Black Shield's head poked out of a trimmed bush surrounding a white, airy mansion she knew from her guard days belonged to archduke Elhart Goldhorn, a high-class noble held in high esteem among Canterlot nobility. This place wasn't his home, but rather a smaller affair near the city walls. Still, it held a ballroom rivalling the one in Canterlot castle, a tall observatory where one could see even Appleloosa on a good day, and enough garden space around to host several apartment buildings. It was pretty clear to Black Shield that the city would have much more space for normal ponies, possibly enough to accommodate the population of entire lower Canterlot if nobles didn't hog all the space.

Sneaking behind greenery whenever possible, she followed the mansion walls to a corner, pulled a head-sized sphere of blue crystal out of her saddlebags, dug out a small hole, and sat the item down into it. With how much space the thing took inside her bags, any observer would guess she had at least three more. Black Shield would correct such hypothetical observer by saying she had four left, and then she would knock him or her out. Thankfully, her orders were to position the crystal balls in each corner of the mansion plus on the observatory roof, and her 'master' had worded them in such way she could interpret them to herself as non-lethal to anypony trying to stop her. She hadn't been told what the balls were for, unfortunately.

Crawling behind the ornamental craft of some master gardener, she used the darkness to safely repeat the process of placing the ball three more times all around the mansion.

"Who's there?"

Almost safely.

She must have cast an outline against light coming from one of the mansion windows. The entire building was milling with servants and guests. Some event big for the nobility had to be going on inside. She had seen the line of ponies waiting to enter when her master deactivated the alarm spell on the walls separating the mansion grounds from the city and teleported them in. Such a big event, obviously, would be well-guarded, but she knew the habits of both private protection services and both Guard branches. Nopony would keep going in circle around a building over and over when all guests wanted to be inside, and thus nopony would catch them taking a little smoking break. Black Shield had used blind spots, places nopony sane would check, and lazy habits of guards to get where she was. Sadly, she stumbled on a vigilant one.

She bolted to the ground and froze. The guard knew she was there, but he would at least come close enough to cast light into the bush where she was to blind and surprise her. A unicorn. He would come close, activate the enchantment on his helmet to cast a cone of light spell, and then prep his magic for a counterattack if she tried to resist arrest. Unfortunately for the poor unicorn about to have his teeth knocked out, Black Shield's new body allowed for movement no guard was prepared for.

When the unicorn was not even in the spell's range, she shot out like a bullet, jumping several pony lengths with one leap and smashing him on the ground. He opened his mouth to scream but didn't even get a proper breath in when Shield's hoof shut him down. Her master may have improved her strength so that she could kill easier, but the same thing went for knocking somepony out, and Shield was not going to kill anypony unless directly ordered to and without a way to twist the command. She WAS a Royal Guard, and no mind-controlling criminal, no twisted magic was going to change that.

"Hmm," she pulled the unconscious unicorn into a thicker bush, checked his pulse, breathing, and the deep dent in his padded steel helmet, and smiled to herself, "Good, now the roof."

There was no way she could get inside, break into the observatory, and plant the crystal unnoticed. The entire plan she knew only a small fraction of stood completely on not being spotted. Looking up and down the wall of the three-story mansion full of alcoves, gargoyles, and balconies, Shield decided her body could use a real test. After all, if she fell and hurt herself enough it would prevent her master's plan for tonight completely. If not, then she would get a good gauge of her improvements.

A quick look around revealed no more watchful sentries about to spot her, and she set her eyes on a windowsil on the first floor. Shield jumped upwards experimentally, reaching about five pony heights into the air. It was impressive beyond belief, but still not enough. She was more than familiar with her weight and new overall strength though.

 _Hmm, if I grab that indent just above the ground floor window and prop myself on that ornamental ledge I just might make it._

That would make her briefly visible through said window, but she couldn't see any better way that didn't involve some unreal luck. She jumped, tapped the indent which sent her away from the wall rather than up.

 _Damn!_

She swung her front leg towards the now too distant ledge, flicked her fetlock, and her curved hoofblades sliding out gave her just enough reach to gain a flash of stability in which she swung her other front leg towards the ledge and grabbed it. A wiggle is all it took for Shield to grab the ledge with both her hooves, now without the need for blades, and she hung there by her bent fetlocks.

Trembling only a little, and not at all from the exercise but just adrenaline, she pondered her next step, or swing. The first floor balcony was two pony heights above and slightly to the left from her. At about mid-point between her and the overhang but to her right an ornamental vampony gargoyle watched the mansion gardens.

 _If I make this then they can call me the princess of Saddle Arabia._

Testing her strength by pulling herself up few times, she heaved with her legs holding the ledge so hard she basically threw herself upwards. Hind legs coiled like springs, she kicked the ledge now under her and flew upwards. Correcting her trajectory with a quick kick to the gargoyle's head on the right, her front legs reached the decorated railing of the balcony and she pulled herself up and dropped on the floor not to be spotted through the glass panes in both the balcony door and windows. During the few seconds of heavy silence she heard a soft 'thud' from below. The gargoyle's head had cracked under her kick and landed in the shrubbery surrounding the mansion. No sounds came from the inside of the building, though. A quick peek through the balcony window to the first floor hallway showed a unicorn guard just rounding a corner. Thankfully, the bright lights inside completely blocked the vision of Shield in the darkness outside.

 _Yeah, all floors will be patrolled. Probably by one or two ponies at most, but that's still a problem. Wall again it is then._

After the guardspony left the visible hallway, Shield scanned the wall for more opportunities to climb. This time she could afford to take it slow, because the upper floors were less likely to be guarded, earthpony and unicorn guards rarely looked upwards, and she didn't want to end with all her limbs broken lying in the middle of the gardens. Granted, it would likely not hurt that much in her current state of un-life, but getting away with three legs broken and half of ribcage gone would be rather annoying. Being bound by the order to complete her mission successfully and without being spotted was testing her capabilities and limiting her chances to find a plausible way to stop her master before he could do what he'd come here to do.

After yet another fifteen minutes of climbing, now slow, thought through, and precise, she reached the domed roof of the observatory tower and planted the final crystal ball.

She looked down and finally remembered that her mission wasn't over with this.

 _Oh for Celestia's sake!_

While it had been possible to climb up the dome using her horseshoes and unnatural strength, going down would be a short slide followed by a long fall. Sitting on the highest point of the roof, she looked down at the guests still arriving to the party.

Two chariots stopped outside and the queue of guests split before two majestic figures. Shield had joined the Guard to protect citizens of Canterlot, and had sworn her oath of service to one of the incoming alicorns. A spike of pain and sadness hit Shield when she imagined what would the princess of the Sun say to her in her current situation. She shook her head, there was no time for that.

 _Alright, no way around it. Gonna have to see how far this body can drop._

Inching herself on her belly down the thick glass dome, hoofblades leaving deep scratches in it and stabilizing her descent, Shield reached the wall and tried to grab some sort of twisted ornament sticking from it which had helped her get up. It couldn't hold her dropping weight, though, and broke.

She flailed her legs in an attempt to grab something, anything, and managed to slow herself down several times by breaking more gargoyles and ledges, but-

Crunch.

Some thirty pony heights under the top of the observatory on the main roof of the mansion, the motionless corpse of an earthpony mare stared up, stars reflecting in her lifeless eyes.

Minutes passed.

Shield's legs twitched. She blinked.

"That... sucked thousand ponuts," she relieved herself. Sometimes even the undead needed a good swear, or at least a decent one in a pinch. She carefully stood up, looking for bones poking through her skin. Nothing. She had fallen on her back, but her hardened though still yielding flesh cushioned the fall enough so that she could heal quickly, "Not doing that again in a hurry."

Walking towards the edge of the roof leading behind the mansion, Shield looked down again. This one would be easy.

This time she slipped right after the second windowsil and dropped only one story down. She landed on all fours easily with no damage done. All that remained for now was to return to the garden maze which she, after a good look around for any pegasi, batponies, and other guards, quickly did.

Her enhanced ears caught fragments of conversation coming from the maze.

"The set is here, Secret Seeker," said an unknown male voice, "the princesses brought both rings as a gift to the engaging couple. When your toy is done setting up the ritual all we need to wait for is the princesses releasing their hold over the rings. "

"Is the spell really going to put two alicorns out of action? I can't deal with them if they get loose, and I doubt you can," Black Shield's master's... Secret Seeker's voice was calm, but an experienced guard like Shield heard the harmonics of hesitation.

 _Well hello there, Secret Seeker. The master has a name after all. Now who is the other conspirator?_

"It will work if you do it right. Just remember your role and your timing. There will be no resistance for a short time."

"And what if there is? Do I just teleport out?"

"You can't use translocation magic inside the mansion. If things go wrong for whatever reason just get out with the rings and then randomize your teleport location so they can't track you. It will be worth the short trip on hoof back."

"And then we part ways, you get one ring and I get the other."

"I thought of something better, Seeker."

"Oh?" Secret Seeker's voice filled with mistrust.

"You will get both rings. After all, somepony will go after you for the theft and you'll need to defend yourself. I doubt your flesh golem will be enough."

 _Thank you very much, whoever you are..._

"You backing out of the entire deal at this point sounds too good to be true."

 _No, really?_

"I am not backing out of anything, I am just being practical. I will still require you to present the rings to me for research, but when I'm not working with them directly you are free to use them as you please. After my work with them is done, you may keep them. I seek knowledge, not uncontrolled power."

"Deal."

"Just remember, I _do not_ want bloodshed. A theft, even of two priceless antiques, is still forgotten more easily than a massacre. Use your magic very carefully, even for a distraction. You are an extremely powerful and talented individual, although you still lack precision," the other voice took a short break, "Your flesh golem is taking her time."

"Nothing major happened to her. I would know."

 _Nothing major? Oh screw you!_

Black Shield stopped eavesdropping and snuck through the hedge maze only to find Secret Seeker waiting for her, completely alone.

"I had to knock one guard out, but the crystals are set," Shield reported.

"Excellent, now we wait," Seeker mumbled some words Shield didn't understand, and both of them turned see-through, "Let's find a good vantage point to see when the line of visitors is gone."

"Using this on me would have spared me having to climb up the freaking mansion," Shield hissed as they followed the outside wall to a corner where they had a clear view of the entrance and the incoming guests.

"Illusions and translocation spells don't work inside. Now shut up and wait, slave."

As usual, the word 'slave' turned Shield's legs to jelly and her crotch to a happy hot swamp. She was ecstatic for more reasons than the one forced on her by Seeker's magic, so she doubled down:

"Of course, master."

She could barely stop the surge of paralyzing pleasure at the admittance of her master's ownership, but she knew the real reason to be happy - now that she knew his name, she could get it out to somepony who could bring him to justice.

 _Secret Seeker..._

She lay down onto the grass and watched each new guest. She knew some of them, nobles usually attenting princess Celestia's court with some request. Two figures arriving fashionably late, however, caught her attention. A well-built white griffon overshadowing anypony outside of princess Celestia herself, and a black and white unicorn mare by his side. They were not nobles, and yet she had seen them having personal hearings with either of the royal sisters. He was supposed to be some sort of ambassadorial contact between Griffon Empire Intelligence Service, and she was his assistant or something? Shield wasn't sure.

 _Oh well, if Seeker and his mate have everything planned out, it doesn't matter who anypony is. Anything that can stop two alicorns in their tracks can stop any normal pony or griffon._

Shield shrugged, trying to think of a better way to pass time.

 _Master, master, master, master, master..._

"Oh stars this place smells like a whorsehouse in heat!" after a while, Secret Seeker's eyes bulged and nostrils flared, "What are you doing?"

"Just lying here, _master_ ," Shield moaned while grinning like a cheshire cat.

Seeker growled and rubbed his temples. This was going to be a long wait.


	6. Need For Power: Reminiscing

Connie wasn't overly comfortable entering the mansion with guests milling all around her. It reminded her too much of her old 'home', something she believed life on the streets had beaten out of her. Nonetheless, she felt a tiny touch of pride as she drew the glances of both noble stallions and mares around. She hadn't bothered too much with makeup or styling her mane, just a little pink lipstick and incessant combing. However, she had chosen a set of clothes no other mare around would dare touch with a long pole.

The simplest explanation would be it was a set of stallion clothes cut for a mare. White, frilly shirt under navy blue and gold jacket covering her chest, and long, tight pants of the same colour scheme hugging her flank like yoga pants. The suit complimented her one blue eye, and made her pull off a classy and yet whorseish look at the same time.

Cromach was by her side and, while Connie drew interested stares that lasted only for a moment, his appearance made stallions burn with envy and mares with desire. His snow-white visage contrasted with black and gold jacket of Griffon Intelligence Service - the Black Ops, something feared and also admired in the ranks of high society with the knowledge of griffon hierarchy. He wasn't wearing anything other than the official jacket, showing off to the entire world the muscles of his waist, behind, and hind legs sliding hypnotically under white coat.

Noblemares didn't have enough self-control to avert their hungry eyes.

"Ambassador Cromach and lady Contradiction!" the earthpony usher with quite the pair of lungs on him called out the griffon and unicorn entering the ballroom.

If there was somepony who might have missed their entrance, they definitely got the memo about the importance of the arriving guests when the host of the evening, a white, blonde-maned unicorn noble in his early twenties hastily excused himself from the group of ponies he'd been talking to and strode over to Crom and Connie. Contrary to being the new lord of this mansion, the host of this celebration, and the unicorn about to be engaged to his beloved, Leo Goldhorn's red and gold clothes cut in a way similar to that of Royal Guard officers were easily lost in the blinding luxury of what his guests were wearing.

He wasn't alone. Halfway through the ballroom he was joined by a brown-haired satyr girl whose spring-green dress said she had very similar tastes to Connie. Figure-hugging, slipping in the crack of her behind with every step, and only accentuating every curve of her upper body. The curves were not voluptious, though, it was a toned and fit figure of somepony used to moving around and carrying heavy equipment, specifically griffon rifles and guns. Her name was Fortune, and she used to be an Order member just like Leo, one specialized in long-range projectile weaponry. It took a lot of strength to diveroll while shooting a sawed-off shotgun in one hand and keep a steady aim.

"So here is the promised couple," Connie smiled widely when Leo and Fortune walked over.

Fortune leaned down to Cromach who kissed her cheeks politely, smiling as well.

"Ah, screw it!" Fortune took Crom's head into her hands and gave him a deep kiss. She used to have a crush on the griffon before, and she knew her soon-to-be-engaged partner would understand. After all, both Fortune and Leo owed Cromach... if not everything than definitely a lot.

Alright, she used to be crazy about Cromach to the point of drooling insanity. Only a tiny fraction of that obsession remained, though.

"Hey, Connie, long time no see!" Leo took Connie's outstretched hoof and kissed it. Connie chuckled and hugged the noble unicorn.

"I'm glad things worked out for you, Leo," said Connie, "How is life with that firecracker anyway?" she nodded to Fortune still frenching Cromach who was starting to turn blue.

"I'm terrified to death each and every second that I'll do something dumb which will make her leave me," Leo smiled, "and it's totally worth it."

"Awwww," Fortune let Cromach go and gasp for breath, and ran her fingers down Leo's golden mane. She leaned to Connie and whispered loudly enough for all four of them to hear, "He has no idea I feel the same way."

Leo rubbed his muzzle against Fortune's toned belly. He wouldn't do this in the company of anypony else in the whole world, but Crom and Connie had been _there_ as well, and knew what possible loss of everything meant. They understood that the open show of affection was nothing to be ashamed of.

"So, welcome to Leo's 'humble' abode," Fortune's fingers traced long lines over Leo's muzzle.

"OUR humble abode," Leo corrected her.

"Fancy," Connie had nothing much to say, she wasn't really interested in the building, no matter how extravagant. She looked Fortune up and down, "Gotta admit you look good in a dress. Up till now I couldn't imagine you wearing anything other than cargo pants filled with ammo and grenades and some oil-stained shirt."

Fortune's eyes twinkled and her mouth turned to a crooked grin.

"And how about you, all fancy and that too. I would have imagined you to arrive in something from a cheap night club to get some tail tonight," the satyr winked, "Or maybe, just guessing here, the tight pants are there to keep something from sliding out, perhaps something griffon-shaped, hmmm?"

Connie shuffled her hind legs nervously. The bipedal bitch could read her like an open book. It was mutual, though.

"Sadly, a poor, unloved mare like me must resort to such substitutions. That," she nudged Cromach watching them with amusement, "or I'm just _stretching_ for the bigger fish, the one you failed to catch."

The crossed glares of the unicorn and the satyr could crush a brick between them.

"So, ehm, Leo," Cromach coughed to interrupt the staring contest, "I wasn't expecting you two to make it official so soon."

Fortune walked around and slapped Connie's plot right under the tail. Her palm _did_ hit something hard. Connie huffed and walked away to the other side of Cromach, much to the satyr's laughter.

"Well, I've got some big advantages unicorns don't have an Leo likes," Fortune brushed away an invisible piece of dust from her dress at breast height, "and I enjoy his company. After I signed a pile of papers prepared by Leo's father's lawyers stating that I wouldn't try to rob him blind in case our relationship went south, there was nothing to wait for."

"I still don't understand what he sees in a shaved minotaur like you, foulmouth. For a misguided while I actually considered gunning for him," Connie snorted.

"I repeat, these?" Fortune squished her breasts together. She wasn't overly endowed in any respect, but it was still something most ponies lacked, and her coltfriend enjoyed immensely.

"Pfff," Connie waved her hoof dismissively, "Milktanks like a cow, big whoop. No well-maintained fur, tiny tongue that doesn't reach anywhere. Muzzle that can't even take his entire-"

"I guess you _do_ know what makes stallions tick better than I do," Fortune gave her a smug look, knowing she would win this one, "I should thank my stars that Leo isn't like the hobos you had to sleep with to not starve on the streets, or maybe just to have something warm in your stomach for the day."

Leo placed a hoof on Fortune's hip.

"Honey, remember how she threw you _through_ a wall back in the Order mansion? Yeah, I can't afford rebuilding this place, and we don't need new flesh-coloured wallpaper."

"In my defense," Fortune raised her hands, "she didn't throw me through a wall, she broke the wall first. Had she not done that, I would now be thin enough to become Photo Finish's model. Don't worry, Leo, we are just messing around, aren't we?"

Connie nodded, giving Leo a genuine warm smile again.

"Yeah, I'm ecstatic you two are finally making it official. What made you think I wasn't?"

"Well, I-" Leo started.

"Stallions, right?" Fortune interrupted him, winking at Connie.

"Exactly. No sense of humour."

They both joined in sinister laughter sending shivers down the spines of all stallions who could hear.

Leo just shrugged.

"Uhh, yeah. How about I leave the two of you to crazy it up in here and have a chat with sir Cromach?"

"Sure, hon," Fortune gave him a kiss and waved at Connie, "There's a bar in the corner, let's catch up on what's happened since we left the Order."

They walked away. Leo stopped a unicorn servant with a floating tray of drinks and levitated a glass of red wine for the griffon and fizzy champaigne for himself.

"So, how are you, Leo? Haven't seen you since you and Fortune left Manehattan," Cromach smacked his beak at the sweet taste of the fortified wine.

"To be completely and utterly honest - terrified and ecstatic at the same time."

"Happy you finally have somepony you can be yourself with and worried beyond all belief that you will fail her?" Crom gave the unicorn a knowing look.

"How...?"

"A - I heard what you said to Connie while Fortune was shoving her tongue down my throat. And b - it was exactly the same with me and Blaze. I can only wish your story has a more fairy tale ending than ours."

"I'm sorry," Leo lowered his head.

"Don't be. Connie said I needed a distraction, and now I have to agree. I've never been the party pooper before. I think I'll just enjoy the food and sights."

"There ARE several single mares looking for company. These parties are always a good place to find some. Stallions too if you want, although much less because nobility still frowns on those kinds of relationships," Leo nudged Crom.

"Let's not get hasty, Leo."

"Sir, it's been over half a year. I'm not talking about finding somepony else, but Connie wrote to us few times and said you wouldn't even go outside the manor. That's not the griffon who beat the spoiled unicorn brat out of me and inspired me to be more than just my father's son."

"Speaking of your father, how did he take the news?" Cromach tried to derail the topic. It was agonizing. He knew Blaze wouldn't want to see him like this, and yet just the thought of finding _somepony else_ felt like a betrayal of his memory.

Leo let out a weary sigh.

"Nobility is nobility, sir. When he heard I wanted to be engaged to a satyr he threatened to disown me. Luckily, after your coltfriend's death princess Celestia kept very close tabs on all of us. I guess somepony told her about it and she pulled some strings. I got this mansion, a meager portion of my father's wealth in monthly payments, and a reward for my service from the princess herself. Honestly, I don't even know what to do with all this."

"Have you talked to your father after that? Maybe-"

"Don't get me wrong, he willingly agreed to help me with all this when the princess 'explained' what we achieved. He was happy I became sort of a hero, he just had to completely overhaul his expectations. Only thanks to him there are this many ponies here tonight to see me and raise my profile in society. Granted, both princesses promising to arrive and wish me and Fortune all the best must have helped. Even I only know a tiny fraction of all the visitors."

"Leo, I know you can handle being a noble and an example to your peers," Cromach embraced the unicorn, "If I ever have a son I'll be happy if he grows to be even a little like you."

"He he he. Sir, I doubt you can understand how much that means to me. Still, you're like four years older than I am. Not the right time to pull off the old pony speech."

Apprehensive coughing cut through their hushed laughter. A grey-coated, brown-maned hippogriff wearing a simple white shirt and brown pants stood there, looking happily at Leo and Cromach. He was young, just over twenty, but had a physique achievable only by training and hard work in the fresh air at the same time.

"STRAW?" Cromach's eyes went wide.

"You didn't think I would leave him out, did you?" Leo hugged the hippogriff, "Great to see you, Straw."

"Nice to see you too, Leo," Straw Basket, the final surviving member of Contradiction's team patted Leo's back, and when the unicorn let go he bowed to Cromach, "I'm glad you are here, sir. Connie wrote you needed some cheering up."

Fortune, rushing through the ballroom followed by Connie levitating four full glasses, exclaimed:

"The big hero himself!"

The satyr picked Straw up and pushed his muzzle against her chest. Straw wrapped his wings and forelegs ending in talons around her while balancing on his hind legs.

"Hey," Leo faked a frown at somepony else's muzzle buried somewhere where only his should be. He couldn't be happier Straw made it in time, though. The hippogriff was a great friend, but he lived in a small logging town on the southern frontier of Equestria, and train travel was not too frequent down there yet.

Straw pushed himself away. Rearing on his hind legs, he was almost as tall as Fortune. His talon poked the satyr's breast.

"I think these are only for Leo now, no?" he raised an eyebrow.

"I wish," Leo rolled his eyes, "She doesn't share as much as she could."

"You might need your own pair with how much you like them. I can't be glued to you twenty-four seven," Fortune stuck her tongue out at him.

"Sadly," Leo sighed wistfully to the laughter of everypony.

Connie levitated a glass of beer to Straw, rubbed her muzzle against his chest, and kissed him. There was a history between them, a short and warm affair which ended, just like with all of the old team members, in a friendship tempered by ride through hell.

Straw raised his glass and coughed.

"Leo, Fortune, I know the official ceremony is a bit later, but I wish you the best. You are perfect for each other, and I'm glad you are engaging this soon because you deserve as many days together as possible. Cheers!"

"Hear, hear!"

Five glasses went 'tink' as the old team's paths crossed once again.


	7. Need For Power: Ceremony

The old Order team reminisced about good times and recounted the dangerous times while celebrating still being here to tell the tale. However, that could not last forever, and conversation turned towards the future.

"Since Straw, Leo, and I are out, are you looking for somepony new?" Fortune leaned back on her chair, stretching her legs.

"Well, sir Cromach has been... busy," Connie coughed meaningfully, making the griffon let out an innocent whistle, "so princess Celestia sent few candidates herself."

"Something like us?" Straw raised an eyebrow, picking a glass of orange juice from a passing servant for a change.

"I doubt anypony can have the same circumstances as you, Straw," Leo patted the hippogriff's back, sitting between him and his soon-to-be partner and hopefully later-to-be wife, "being a chosen avatar of a dark god while being hunted by servants of another insane god doesn't happen too often, you know, statistically."

"Thank heavens for that," Straw sipped his drink.

The group chuckled as one, and Connie resumed her talk about the newbies.

"After three days with the new guys I really wish the three of you would come back."

"Come on, they can't be _that_ bad," Straw's talons pointed at his chest, "I could barely use a sword even after sir Cromach trained us in Canterlot, and when we got to Manehattan sargeant Cross beat me up even worse. I believe my team role was 'cannonfodder', wasn't it?"

"Yeeeeah, but you picked it yourself because you had no clue what a role was," Connie nodded, "Cross just loved the idea so much it is now the official description of what used to be 'utility' role. No, these new guys are plain weird, and I realize I'm talking to, among others, a satyr who threatened to blow Straw up with a grenade just so he would stop pestering her about lovesick Leo drooling over her nonexistent good points."

"It was a _smoke_ grenade, in case you don't remember," Fortune blushed, recalling the explosion turning both her and straw Basket bright bubblegum pink, "Anyway, can they be really weirder than we were?"

"Alright, alright," Connie waved her hooves, "a minotaur with an ego the size of Celestia's cake-filled plot, a satyr with a clumsily hidden death wish, and some sort of a ridiculously adorable demon mare who seems to be out in the real world for the first time," she shook her head, "I mean, Anvil -the minotaur- isn't too bad if I'm to be honest. She's tough, hard-working, and insufferable, but I think she knows she's getting into something important and she's doing her best to get good enough to fight me, not to mention sir Cromach. She got the idea first that there is something out there which terrifies even all those who smashed her repeatedly into the ground, and doesn't like the notion of going in unprepared."

"You said you had another satyr," Fortune nudged her, "a guy or a girl? Gunnery and mechanical skills? Hot?"

Leo faked a pout.

"It's a guy, just a little taller than you are, Fortune. He's not too physically gifted, but Cross will make something out of him no problem. His name is Astray, and I don't know what happened to him before he joined us, but he suffers from the same sort of grim determination Blaze did."

"You don't know the half of it," Cromach nodded to add Connie's words some gravitas, "He's pretty much like Blaze when I first met him. Okay, maybe not that bad because he's not trying to slit his own throat, but close. Still, at least I know how to read him and I'm sure if the others grow to like him just a little they'll gain a friend who would stand against a god for them. Who knows? Maybe he and Anvil might even hit it off."

"HAHAHAHAHA!" Connie burst out in tears, "Yeah, right. She might grow to respect him if he proves himself, but I wouldn't go that far. It would be downright adorable, though, because he is shy as heck around her. She would crush his pelvis in the sack. No, no, I think he has better chance with the demon one."

"Right, about the half-demon or whatever she is supposed to be," Leo gave Connie a curious stare, "Horns, wings, claws, red scales, sharp tail? I remember pictures from Starlight's summoning books."

"Nope," Connie shook her head, "She's basically an earthpony with small differences and talons on forelegs. A ton of teeth, though, if it makes you feel better. She makes everypony uneasy at first, but even some normals spent time with her after her first weekend with us. She's actually really cute, so that must have helped."

"A pleasure demon maybe? Partially."

"I think so, but no hanging crotchtits, giant ass, and five tongues, just a mare with more sharp teeth than a shark. She's sort of simple and I think she used to be treated like a bad pet, but hey, if she likes playing fetch, dodgeball, and running all over the place I'm not gonna complain."

"And you put those three in one room," Fortune was fighting a growing grin and failing. Connie and she, although neither would ever admit it, had a similar playful personality bordering on sadism. Connie let it out only occasionally and was professional and serious most of the time, but for Fortune it was her true nature.

"Nothing and no one was broken when we left for the train this morning. Which is pretty shocking because Anvil runs around mostly naked, much to the drooling of both Astray and the normals, and he can't keep his eyes off her. She swears at him a lot, but I think she enjoys the attention. I'm getting the feeling that minotaur women don't get too much of the 'soft' kind of adoration."

"That is true," interjected Cromach, "both among the wild tribes and in Rift, females either have to be strong and skilled, thus blurring the line between genders, or they guard knowledge and take care of the house and the city. Speaking of Astray's chances, minotaur sex is more a fighting affair and whoever is stronger can do literally whatever they want to basically whoever they want. There are laws against abuse and stuff, but they are very soft compared to Equestria or the Griffon Empire. If a minotaur wants a bit of stress relief and somepony weaker is around without a protector, they better bend over or they'll _be_ bent over. That goes for both genders, though. From what I heard the more home-focused females use, literally, younger minotaurs quite frequently."

"That's pretty barbaric," Straw scowled, having seen abuse and forced labor of orphans first-hoof.

"As I said, it's not that bad now," Cromach raised a talon, "Laws punish those who go too far or are too brutal, but in their culture this promotes strength. To be honest, I doubt Astray would mind if Anvil took him for a ride even if he was considered more a toy than a living being the whole time. I firmly believe it will turn out fine, though."

"Yeah," Connie nodded, "I know it feels weird at first, but look at what we were like when we first met."

"That's true," Leo smiled, looking at Fortune and Cromach, "It can't have started worse, and it can't have ended much better given the circumstances."

A symphony of tinkling and soft tolling of bells coming from a large clock right above the ballroom entrance cut through the loud, milling guests.

"Oh, it's time," Leo nudged Fortune, "We should go get ready."

"Right, right," the satyr stood up, slightly unsteadily after sitting for so long and few glasses of champaigne, "It's been amazing to see you, guys, but we have to make some final arrangements before Leo's big announcement. The princesses wanted to give us something special tonight."

"So, wedding's when?" Straw went straight to the point.

"Not planned yet," Leo blushed, "I've had a ton of trouble with taking care of this, my new status, becoming a property owner and so on. I'll be happy just to be engaged for now," he nodded to the others, "As Fortune said, we're always happy to see you, but we gotta hurry. See you in half an hour! We can talk more after the main event."

The two lovebirds rushed off. Connie looked longingly towards the bar in the corner.

 _I'm gonna need something stronger inside me for this..._

"Sir, excuse me," she bowed to Cromach, "I'm going to take a break from the social stuff for a moment. You know I like ponies, but in small doses."

"Have fun, Connie," Cromach smiled, "Leo said there were some interesting nobles to check out."

"Same goes, sir," she looked away, "I just need some, ehm, _additional courage_ in me before I go browsing, preferably liquid and cider-based."

She rushed off.

"What's gotten into her?" Straw raised an eyebrow.

"No idea," Cromach shrugged, "I think she's been lonely ever since the three of you left the Order. Connie doesn't make friends easily even in daily contact with our normal recruits."

"You know Connie and I were, as they say, friends with benefits for a short while before I left," Straw blushed at the memory of a pervy unicorn mare who taught him there was more to life than hard work, responsibility, and occasional 'manual labor', "She needs somepony she can trust completely. If she finds him, though, she'll make him one happy stallion... or griffon," Straw ended. He knew Connie's preference. Him being a hippogriff had a lot to do with the start of their brief romantic relationship.

"My apologies, young one," a new, elderly but firm voice aimed at Straw Basket cut their conversation short, "Would you be so kind and allow me a private conversation with ambassador Cromach?"

The new speaker was a long-horned unicorn giving the duo a peaceful smile. His dark blue, almost resembling princess Luna's, coat peeked in places, hidden by a gold, silver, and gem decorated robe. The image of an older wizard was completed by his silvery grey mane and short beard. His cutie mark, or a symbol embroidered on the robe at the place where a cutie mark would be, made no sense to either of the two, it was some sort of letter looking like a cross between H and K surrounded by a reddish black smoke. It had to be a magical symbol of some sort.

Straw gave a quick look to Crom who nodded.

"Of course, sir," the hippogriff bowed to the newcomer and left to grab a bite of something, his well-built figure and simple clothes drawing interested stares from single noblemares.

"Excuse me, have we met?" Cromach offered the unicorn Straw's chair.

"Ah, where are my manners," the unicorn bowed, "Arcane Hex, wizard of the seventh level. I teach at princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns."

"Seventh? Isn't that the highest?" Cromach whistled.

"Systematically yes, but there are vastly more powerful and knowledgeable individuals than I am. Princess Luna is a good example, and I believe your changeling aquaintance Starlight who teaches unicorn magic under you in Manehattan is superior to me. Agelessness is sort of an unfair advantage in search for knowledge," Arcane Hex chuckled.

"Nice to meet you, mister Hex," Cromach shook the wizard's hoof, "How come you are interested in a common griffon like me?"

"Common does not even begin to describe you, ambassador. For a short time, I had access to a certain set of journals belonging to one Blazing Light, a unicorn ascended to alicornhood, which spoke highly of you. Sadly, those were pulled out of the royal library in Canterlot castle."

"Yes," Cromach nodded, "I have them. I felt it was nopony's business to read his thoughts unless it was important."

"I see. From the fraction I had access to I gleaned that there was a deep romantic relationship between you two, and thus I agree it is fully within your right to protect the journals. However, I have also worked with princesses Luna and Twilight Sparkle on a certain project regarding divine power and its properties. Alicorns refuse to be deeply studied, but I believe you, as a mortal mind in a body made of pure divine power, could help assist me in my research."

Cromach frowned, but Arcane Hex raised his hoof and continued.

"I admit I am asking out of curiosity, but I also believe my research could help you in case your power acted out in some way. That, or possibly improve your understanding of it, and the ability to use certain unnatural aspects you might possess. Have you ever met with something unusual, if I'm not asking too much?"

"It's not a secret or anything. The recruits in Manehattan have seen it on various occasions although most of them believe I am using an enchanted weapon. My power can manifest offensively as lightning. That's all I know. I can use it on my own, but it comes easier when I'm in danger. I can't really 'just test' something this dangerous on somepony."

"That is why I can offer you a place to safely do so if you decide to dig deeper into your new nature."

"I'll think about it, but I'm busy as it is already, mister Hex. There is only few of us in Manehattan and there are a lot of things to take care of, accounting mostly."

Hex chuckled.

"You don't have to tell me. I teach several classes, attend gatherings such as this one as a representative of organized wizardry, and sometimes assist in court dealings. I know how precious time can be. Just bear in mind that I am offering assistance in case you need it."

"Thank you," Cromach smiled.

"My pleasure," Hex bowed, "Ah, the princesses are here, so the main event should be starting soon. I have something to discuss with princess Luna before that, so if you excuse me."

"Have a nice evening, Arcane Hex."

"Same to you, ambassador."

Alone for the first time this evening, Cromach relaxed in his chair. His desire to mingle, if there ever was any, evaporated after the lengthy company of his friends, ex-trainees, and past teammates in one. It left warmth inside him he didn't want to disturb by striking any further conversation with somepony new. He was completely satisfied for tonight.

Perhaps he should just grab something bigger to eat before Leo officially proposes to Fortune?

His stomach twisted when he realized he probably should have done something similar to Blaze while he had the chance. The alicorn, despite Cromach's words and deeds, had always believed that Crom could and should find somepony better.

Idiot.

 _My idiot._

The warm feeling inside Crom turned into a lead ball, and his smile faded. He didn't notice the hoofsteps of the only pony in the entire ballroom taller than he was.

Princess Celestia hesitated only for a second when she saw his expression. She knew what he was feeling better than anypony. She had lost close ones... over and over and over and over. Immortality had its cycle of events as well.

"Remembering the fallen, Cromach?" her soothing voice served more to open wounds than to bring peace.

"Just remembering, your Highness," he answered non-commitally.

The chair next to him creaked under the alicorn's weight.

"It was my fault," was all the princess could say, faced with such could shoulder.

"Yes, it was."

"I made a wrong decision."

"No, you didn't make _any_ decision. You just sent Twilight to sort things out for you. Had you come yourself, you might have understood what was going on and refrained from using the Elements, but you didn't. Like always, you sent your student to do something _you_ should have done... and this time she messed up. She didn't have enough knowledge or experience to deal with the situation, she couldn't have. That's why I'm not mad at Twilight. You, on the other talon, had everything that could have prevented his death and you didn't move a muscle. Even Luna sent a unit of Nightguards to cooperate with us. Everypony helped except for the one who could really have made a difference..."

"I-"

"Leave me be, you lazy swine. Return to your castle and politics and don't bother me," Cromach spat out, looking anywhere other than at Celestia. He didn't care about the consequences of his words in the slightest.

Celestia just closed her eyes and said firmly:

"You kept all you knew away from me. I had to send Twilight so that at least _somepony_ might have returned with some clearer witness if things went wrong."

"You kept Connie, Leo, Fortune, and Straw locked up in the castle dungeons. When you let them out you threatened them that if they left Canterlot they would be charged with high treason and executed. And you know what? They DID do it. They didn't whine about not knowing enough about anything, they just went when Blaze and I called. They knew that if they returned they would face the worst possible punishment, but they went. That is the difference, _your royal Highness_."

"I issued an official pardon to all of them, and rewarded them for their service. Same goes with your Order. I cannot bring back the dead no matter how much I wish I could."

"What do you want from me, to forgive you? Hell no! I'm no hero, no saint, no guardian of peace and life. Your blatantly lazy, that's all it was - not even stupidity, just laziness, decision took away the only thing that kept me going. After all Blaze and I have gone through to carve a little piece of world for us..."

Cromach shook his head, burying his face into his talons.

"We prevailed against everything. In the end all it took was _you_ stabbing us in the back," he mumbled, "When I saw him explode up in the sky, I knew it was your fault. At that moment, I wanted... I hoped with all my heart we would fail just so you got a taste of what losing _EVERYTHING_ felt like. I wanted to give up more than anything."

"What stopped you?" Celestia's wing touched the griffon who just swatted it away.

"The blind hope that Blaze, as an alicorn, might come back. You can't really die, right? Your divine power just disperses and reforms after some time unless you decide against it in which case a new alicorn of your aspect appears eventually. It was the hope that before I die I might see him again same as always. Unfortunately, as Twilight's research of the Elements of Harmony went on after the events, it just confirmed what Blaze suspected already. Harmony's unique power was to disperse other divine sources so thoroughly that there would be no chance of coming back. Harmony, the insane god, won in the end, at least as far as I'm concerned."

Celestia sighed.

"My sister and I brought young lord Goldhorn and future lady Fortune a set of antique rings as a gift."

"So?"

"I settled all debt surrounding the Order so that you didn't have to work yourself to death during past months. I also ignored several 'accidents' and disappearances surrounding the orphanage in Wild Bastion when Straw Basket returned there as a full Royal Guard with influential contacts. After some 'negotiations' with Contradiction's family, I revoked the order to disown her and made her the only applicable heir to all their property. Leo and Fortune's rings that they are going to exchange tonight are powerful magical jewels protecting their bearers from harm, evil, and disease. Cromach, I am trying to help. I am trying to give all of them better and safer future just like you did for the rest of the world. The only one I don't know how to help is you."

"Well," Cromach was surprised to hear all that. He had no idea about Connie's heirloom, Leo and Fortune's magical gift, and he believed the murders of the several ponies exploiting orphans in Wild Bastion went unnoticed or at least unsolved, "Good, just keep an eye on them, properly this time."

"I want to keep an eye on _you_ as well."

"There is nothing you can do. My problem can't be solved with money, influence, or magic."

"Indeed," Celestia nodded, and looked across the ballroom when unsteady Contradiction wobbled up from her barstool and aimed towards her and Cromach, "I am the wrong pony to help with that, ambassador, just promise me you don't turn down the right one."

"Huh?" Cromach turned at the movement of the chair being shoved aside, but saw only alabaster butt adorned with golden sun rapidly moving away.

"Hae-heh-having f'n, ser?" Connie overflowing with liquid courage stumbled over and collapsed into the already too abused chair, nearly tipping it over, "T-the drinkz 'n here ar free."

"Yeah," Cromach leaned away in horror from the cloud of alcoholic vapors threatening to melt his beak off, "Definitely."

"Leo 'n the dummy ar' cuming ina minnit," Connie shoved her chair right next to Cromach's and leaned against him, "Dey said we can stay eer tonite," she traced her hoof over his chest. She tried to unbutton his jacket with her telekinesis and failed, so she just ripped one button off, "Oops, clumsy mee. Imma bad girl who shud be punishd."

"Connie-"

She pushed her barrel against his much broader body. Cromach's chair handled it just slightly worse than the griffon, and its legs crumbled.

"Hee hee," Connie's goofy smile was in no way deterred by the spreading silence of other guests staring at her lying on Cromach with his back to he floor, and ruffling the feathers on his head playfully with her muzzle, "I'll maek yoo forget yoo ever had a coltfriend."

The small band of musicians on a dias next to the bar providing ambient music started playing a loud, celebratory tune. Lights dimmed, much to Cromach's answered prayers, leaving only a spotlight shining towards the center of the ballroom. The griffon shoved Connie aside, sitting her down in front of him and turning both of them towards the show.

Leo and Fortune entered, each one from a different side of the ballroom. Fortune's clingy dress was gone and she wore a much more decorated white and gold affair she obviously didn't enjoy in the slightest. Leo's colours made Cromach's eyes water a little again. In preparation for this event, the young noble had ordered a special suit of black velvet underlined with gold rims in places. It looked, unofficially, like a replica of Cromach's Black Ops agent jacket. Leo wanted, on one of the most important days of his life, to look like the griffon whom he considered a true goal to reach one day.

Leo idolized Cromach a lot. For a good reason, but still a lot.

The unicorn and the satyr stepped into the spotlight, Fortune holding and Leo levitating a small black box each. Leo bowed, muzzle almost touching the floor, and his box flew up and opened.

"I planned a speech, but just seeing you here like this made me blank out so I'll keep it short," he chuckled, voice audible through the entire silent ballroom, and looked up into Fortune's eyes, "Nobles in Canterlot believe a pureblood unicorn should marry only another one. It's normally more about politics than the ponies' feelings. I want none of it here. I love you, Fortune, that is my only reason and the only thing that matters to me. Will you make me the happiest unicorn in the world and share the rest of your life with me?"

The satyr smiled and opened her box as well.

Fortune stood there, paralyzed. She wanted to accommodate something snarky about nobles into her speech, but everything evaporated from her head outside of the unicorn bowing before her.

"Of course, Leo. You are the best company I could have ever hoped for," her eyes darted to Cromach for only a second, "and that's a tall order."

They all felt it, the pulse of force, echoing through the ballroom.

Cromach saw Arcane Hex jumping with speed unbecoming of somepony that old towards the princesses with a flaring horn. He just landed in their presence, visibly fighting against the onset of a spell restraining him.

Nothing happened.

Nopony could move.

Two robed ponies entered the ballroom, walking straight towards Leo and Fortune through the crowd locked in place by magic. One must have been an earthpony because the robe showed no protrusions for wings or horn, nor any bulges hiding them. The other one was a unicorn whose horn was poking out through a hole in his cape.

The unicorn levitated both rings from the open boxes and put them in the pocket in his common brown robe.

"Any movements?" Secret Seeker hissed at Black Shield who had no trouble seeing in the dim gloom of the ballroom.

"No," Shield replied automatically, scanning the guests for any signs of resistance to the binding spell she realized she'd been preparing.

"Good, let's get out of here!"


	8. Need For Power: Escape

The late evening in the Order headquarters in Manehattan was much less festive, but equally painful. For a certain satyr, that was.

"Owwwwww," Astray's back slammed against the mattress of the bottom bunk bed belonging to Bubbles. Even in his exhausted state, he had the presence of mind not to collapse on Anvil's. He could climb up to his bunk later, for now the world was pain.

He couldn't even appreciate when Bubbles jumped onto the bed as well, balancing on the edges with her hooves and talons trying not to stand on Astray.

"Can we play?" she shoved her muzzle right to his nose, soft rusty hair tickling him. A tennis ball was presented a second after, held by a set of talons.

"Urrgh," the satyr groaned again, muscles weak as strings aching after sargeant Cross' evening weapon training. He hated how in the morning and over the day there were strategy practices and strength or endurance exercises and in the evening, when everypony was exhausted already, came combat. Cross' reason was good enough - enemies would come at you when they see you tired, but it still annoyed the worn out satyr, "Come on, Bubbles, I can barely hold it, much less throw. How come you aren't tired?"

"Cause she isn't a pussy," a smug, gruff voice announced Anvil's return from the shower, "The beastmode changeling wrecked you so hard it made _me_ wince."

Astray learned several things over the past three days. Anvil didn't wear any clothes unless meeting with somepony official, much to his embarrasing and poorly hidden enjoyment. She also apparently hated him and wanted him gone. Deep down, he wanted himself gone as well, so they had something in common at least. The final thing - while she was ridiculously strong and decently fast, Anvil wasn't too agile or good with weapons either. She just used the biggest thing she could lay her hands on, and quickly swung it in wide arcs. How that worked, or precisely didn't work, she learned soon after Contradiction wiped the floor with her.

"Sargeant Cross did the same thing to you."

"I at least hit him once!" Anvil huffed indignantly, opening the expansive window overlooking the Order gardens slash training grounds. Astray heard whistles and a cat call from the outside. He had to admit that Anvil, her short fur still clinging all over to her massive body was a sight to behold. The minotaur growled, marched over to Bubbles, took her tennis ball, and returned to the window.

"Now which one of you little wimps was that?" she mumbled to herself and stretched, showing off her round, big breasts. Another whistle, "Of course, the two unicorns pretending to be fighting."

Lobbing the ball with the speed of a comet, she added in an evil singsong voice:

"Bubbly, fetch!"

Bubbles shot out of the window right after the projectile.

"Hey, that almost hit-AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! Getheroff! Getheroff!" heard Astray from outside.

"Tripping and falling on him isn't scoring a blow," Astray couldn't stop a grin at the panicked screams down in the gardens.

"Even when I don't succeed, I at least aim to cause damage to my enemy," Anvil frowned at him, "You didn't even touch him."

"Aphain?" Bubbles' muzzle gagged by the ball poked through the window from the outside as she pulled herself up into the room. Anvil looked at the steep mansion wall criss-crossed with talon marks the demon mare scored into it over past few days. Thankfully, she stopped shredding the balls after the fourth one.

"No, I must admit I need a breather as well. That changeling is a terrifying enemy. Go get a shower, little thing."

"Awwww," Bubbles spat the ball out at Astray who sat up and threw it in the air. She jumped upwards and slammed her head into the ceiling, landing slightly disoriented, but unharmed and with the tennis ball. Under Anvil's stern eye, Bubbles let the ball be and walked into the bathroom.

As Anvil lay down on her bed, she caught Astray staring again. The satyr quickly turned his head.

"You couldn't even touch me, skinny."

"Can I at least look?" Astray muttered, preparing himself for something being thrown at him as well, possibly the entire bedframe.

"Hmph," Anvil stood back up, stretching again, and gave Astray a long, unimpressed look, "Take your clothes off."

"What?" his eyes bulged.

"Stand up, take your clothes off, everything. NOW!" the sharp command worked like a charm on Astray's body obeying without any input of his head. His shaky hands stripped his shirt and pants.

He stood in the middle of the room, slightly tanned, skinny upper body with hints of new muscles covered in dark bruises, and lower body covered in grey hair but no less demolished. Anvil circled him, shaking her head.

"On the floor, stomach down," she didn't need to raise her voice again. The satyr was confused, scared, and admittedly slightly curious about her intent. He felt her hands slip over his back, behind, and legs, stopping briefly and squeezing the lower parts, "You're used to walking long distances, but not carrying anything heavy."

"I... I've never really owned anything heavy until recently. I mean the armor from the princess. And yes... I walked from the Crystal Empire to Canterlot on my own."

"It's obvious, runt, I don't need your input."

"What are you-?" Astray thrashed until Anvil's tree trunk of a muscular leg pushed him against the carpet. She was sitting by his side, leg draped over him, and hands groping his bottom and one thigh.

"Alright," she ignored him, "Let's start with what isn't too damaged."

"Aaaah," Astray's half pained, half pleasured gasp cut through the room as Anvil's fingers dug deep into his buttcheek, working in small circles and kneading the overused muscle. She eased on the pressure, grumbling:

"Weak like a twig. A minotaur would barely feel this."

Nonetheless, she focused on his legs, bending, kneading, and stretching them when needed. In the end, Astray felt as if his entire lower body was melting into a warm pool instead of hurting with every movement. His back wasn't so lucky, but she tried to be softer than before and her touches made Astray sleepy until:

"Turn around," she didn't wait for him to oblige and just rolled him over, "Can't have you whining about pain all the time. If the damn sassy unicorn wants us in shape fast, we all need to do our part."

Astray was much more tense this time. Not because Anvil was going a bad job, but becase as her hands worked him like putty. The only thing on his mind was:

 _Don't get a boner, she'll rip it off and throw it for Bubbles to fetch._

His body failed him, at least partially, but Anvil only gave his lack of discipline a quick, unimpressed look and kept going. That... just that lack of interest, not even being worth a snide remark, relaxed Astray. There was nothing in it. His body worked in a certain way, but that was all it was. He eased himself into Anvil's ministrations, and any unruly thoughts faded away along with his arousal. When he opened his eyes again, the sky outside was dark and Anvil was done. He felt born anew.

No newborn should see somepony like drying Bubbles, though, watching them with wide eyes and even wider smile. That's what nightmares are made of.

Shooting up and feeling everything ache but nothing really hurt, he said to Anvil curiously sniffing her palms:

"Thanks. Both for the massage and for not making anything out of... you know what."

She gave him a quiet stare, and licked her hand from the wrist to her index finger.

"To me, you may as well be a mare."

Astray's mouth opened. Astray's mouth closed. It hit him. She was just stating facts, she wasn't being derisive. She was huge, her... parts were huge. Minotaurs were massive compared to ponies and even him. It hurt, it really did, but what could he do about it? She didn't consider him a male, neither in body nor in heart. And she was right.

Anvil cut into his shock:

"Gotta wash the sweat off," she jumped up and rushed off to the bathroom, "You're going next, you stink."

"Yes," he just nodded and waited for her to finish. For some reason, it took Anvil longer than any day before.

As soon as Anvil was done, Astray darted into the bathroom. The shower felt like a blessing after the massage. If only she could do this every evening. Perhaps he should ask?

"She'll just say not to push my luck, or not to get hurt that bad so that I don't need to waste her time," he shook his head, leaving the bathroom when he was done, dry and ready to end the day.

Anvil was lying on her bed, reading a book, a heavy tome about pony history which nonetheless looked like just a notebook in her hand. Bubbles' muzzle was propped against the windowsil as she watched the dancing lights of nighttime Manehattan.

"Mind if I turn the light off?" Astray asked, ready to dodge any rapidly approaching objects, "I'm completely beat."

Anvil gave him a slightly annoyed look, but shut her book and put it on the bedside table.

"Hey, I know a thing for good rest," Bubbles jumped up, swishing her tail. She trotted to Astray, put her muzzle on the carpet, raised her hindquarters, and flicked her tail aside, "Mom always asked me to help ponies get to sleep like this. Some evenings I helped even four or five of them. She also gave them this riding crop to play with me like miss Contradiction did with her sword. I slept really well after that... unless she gave them the silver crop when I was bad. That one stung."

Astray stared at the presented marehood in shock, working through the implications of what Bubbles had just said. What cut through his stupor was Anvil's:

"The wimp might like it, because no real mare would touch a weakling like him with a long pole."

"YOU KNOW WHAT?" Astray had just enough, completely forgetting about the massage, "YOU ARE RIGHT, I KNOW AM WORTHLESS AND I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN BUT I WOULD NEVER TAKE AN ADVANTAGE OF SOMEPONY LIKE THIS, YOU DUMB UPRIGHT WALKING... COW!" he took a brief breath, his outburst still not over, "Do you know how I know? Nopony outside of the orphanage has ever looked at me as if I was something other than a dumb monster who can't fly or use magic or carry as much as an earthpony. Even the damn Badlands caravan thing that led me here started with the only useful part of me being _these_ ," he waved his hands, wiggling his fingers, "They wanted somepony to massage them for food after a day of walking. And... that was just the first thing, then came the... other demands. I had no value to anypony there and if I didn't jack off any stallion who told me to or served a mare wanting something exotic they would have kicked me out in the middle of the desolation without a word. Heck, I got my ASS used by the stallions so much I might as well now be a mare just like you said. I was a pair of hands and a hole that could be discarded at any point. Yeah, the mares didn't consider me male either because unlike a pony I don't have a dick the size of my barrel. Funny, isn't it? Go ahead and laugh! YOU THINK I, OF ALL PONIES, TAKE THIS DUMMY'S OFFER, YOU MUSCLE FOR BRAINS?"

He stared, trembling, at Anvil looking at him with narrowing eyes and at confused, wide-eyed Bubbles leaning away from his raised voice. He couldn't handle this. Breathing raggedly, he stormed back into the bathroom and turned on the shower again to drown his memories, his own noises, and himself if somehow possible.

Bubbles jumped back on her bed and curled under the blanket without a word. Anvil glared at the bathroom door, sat up, walked to Bubble's pile, and rubbed the demon's back through the thin cloth.

"What you just did... is something you should offer only to somepony you _really_ like, little thing."

Bubbles' big ears perked up as she peeked from under her blanket.

"I did. I like you, Astray, miss Contradiction and mister Cromach, even some others. You're all nice. You play with me, don't throw stuff at me unless it's practice, you don't scream when I smile, and-"

"It has to be more than that, much more."

"I don't understand. I liked helping ponies sleep, it felt really good... most of the time."

"It does, I know, but you need to be in charge if you just want to blow off some steam and use them. If you present yourself as an offering, you must trust the pony that he won't hurt you even by accident," Anvil moved her hand to Bubbles' belly and started rubbing the purring mare there.

"Mhm," Bubbles' eyes closed involuntarily, and a moment later she was asleep, snoring lightly while curled around Anvil's arm.

The minotaur knew how things worked. You had to be strong to survive, and the enemy wasn't always some dark wizard. The ones closest to you could stab you in the back the easiest.

Lost in memories of her young life with her clan, she twitched as Astray walked out of the shower again. The satyr ignored her, climbing up on his bunk above hers and throwing a blanket over himself. She heard the heavy, angry breathing.

"Bubbles?" she whispered, leaning in.

"Yes?" the chipper abomination opened her eyes instantly.

"You can help the weakling sleep in another way, like a second pillow," she said quietly enough for Astray to miss it.

"Oooh!" Bubbles' eyes sparkled and she bounced up and down on the mattress, "There was this older cleaning pony who just wanted to hug me. Mom told him he could do that if he didn't say a thing about me being there. He always hugged me for a while and then just left, all smiley and such. I liked him, he didn't use the silver whip even when mom gave it to him," she, on the other hoof, had no idea about hushed tones in her excitement.

Anvi picked her in one hand and shoved her up into Astray's bunk.

"Huh?" the satyr turned away from the wall only to see a smile of thousand needles and a gold-specked rusty blur drill under his blanket and press her back against his chest like a little spoon.

Astray looked at Anvil's stony face still high enough to see what's going on on the top bunk without having to jump. She huffed and turned away.

"Do anything... stallion-like, and I will kill you. _Painfully_."

Astray looked down on the mare he was spooning. Anvil's tone wasn't threatening, she was merely stating what would inevitably happen if he didn't keep his hands to himself. Well, the hands weren't the real problem here probably.

"Umm," he mumbled nervously and patted Bubbles' side, "If you feel something poking you in the morning... that just happens sometimes."

"Oh, did you forget a back scratcher in the bed? Don't worry, I slept on mine when I had to stay in the cage. It's not that uncomfortable."

The satyr just chuckled and wrapped the blanket around himself and Bubbles tightly.

Anvil, rolling her eyes, shut the lights off, closed the window, and lay down herself, all that while grumbling angrily:

"Weaklings... whining about reality, getting hurt by mere words, instead of growing a spine and working on themselves."

* * *

 _"Divine power answers more to wish and willpower rather than adhering to rules,"_ Twilight Sparkle's voice rang through Cromach's memories. The griffon had only one desire in mind as he watched the two robed thieves walk towards the ballroom exit.

"You... aren't... ruining this FOR THEM!" with an eagle's cry, the griffon moved, the spell finally unable to hold his empowered nature. Cromach reared, and grabbed a huge steel candelabra nearby, leaving the burning candles in. The improvised weapon had the weight and reach of his battleaxe, so the fact that it was blunt was just a minor setback. Spreading his wings for balance on three legs, he charged, "Whoever you are, you won't be here tomorrow, scum."

"What?" Secret Seeker's head turned back so fast his neck cracked, "Go, go, go!" he forced himself to run in the face of what looked like a force of nature gone berserk. Shield and Seeker started running. Unfortunately for her master, Shield was drastically faster and reached the exit just as Cromach smashed his heavy weapon into the unicorn's side.

"Aaaaah!" Seeker's robe caught fire as he flew, crashing into tables and paralyzed nobles alike, "HELP, you dumb- AAAH!" he rolled away as Cromach's blow shattered the tiled floor where his head was an instant ago.

Black Shield's body reacted, rushing at blinding speed at the griffon with horseshoe blades primed. Crom was way too experienced to be caught off guard by the attack, but Shield's strength and speed surprised him. Blood stained the shattered tabled and chairs as Shield's blades scored a deep blow to the griffon's side. She slowed down only for a second to give an evil grin to Secret Seeker trying to douse his robe with nearby platter of drinks. Underestimating Cromach's endurance would have proved fatal to any living pony. Shield, however, only got her skull fractured as the candelabra hit sent her head against a nearby marble pillar.

"Diiiie," Cromach growled.

"A bit too late for that," Shield allowed herself a brief second to recover her senses. She could afford to take the next blow, then carve the griffon's stomach left open after him rearing up to strike.

Crom stood on his hind legs and struck the back of an earthpony who by no means should have survived it. The candelabra actually _bent_ , Shield's legs slipped under the force, but she swung her bladed hoof at the unprotected griffon about to eviscerate him.

Her shoulder crunched and her leg stopped mid-movement, ripped off from the rest of Shield. Cromach jumped backwards as he realized how close to death he was, tripping over a frozen pony and rolling on the floor. Shield quickly turned her head to see...

...Contradiction, wobbling on all fours, air around her horn twisting with pressure of power.

"Hees mine -hic-, bissh!" the unicorn almost bit her tongue. She had no clue what happened, but as soon as her delayed mind realized what was going on, she just pushed with all the mental strength she could muster against the force holding her, "No erfpony whorrs is shovin' anyfin in his crotch but mee."

Shield's separated and levitating leg batted the earthpony away from Cromach, swinging wildly in mid-air. Connie was seeing triple, only double if she focused, but Shield was a big target.

"-" a chant Shield couldn't understand rose from Secret Seeker finally putting the fire in his clothes out. His horn flared with red glow which spread through the entire ballroom. Dozens of spectral shadows of skeletal ponies rose from the floor, punching and biting the defenseless assorted nobility. His hooded head turned to rising Cromach, "It's us or them, griffon. Choose well!"

A unicorn skeleton rammed its horn into the neck of a noblemare who dropped on the floor instantly, gurgling. Zombies arose as well, blindly biting anything warm and living.

Straw Basket saw Leo's horrified expression, and the orphan turned host of darkness turned honorable small town citizen heard a voice inside him that he'd hoped never to hear again. The god of Death - Nightmare.

 _[b]"For old time's sake, my little toy, just one more time. RIP AND TEAR!"[/b]_

The imprisoning spell ended for him, stripped away by a force beyond the understanding of any creature alive. The hippogriff felt fire rush through his veins, grabbed the nearest skeleton and slammed him into another one so hard they both shattered. Healthy, clean living with lots of hard work, plus the divine blessing of the god of all end does that to a pony. He felt Nightmare's will extend to Leo and Fortune who stumbled as the spell ended for them as well. Straw needed a more durable weapon now, so he opted for grabbing a zombie like a living, well, undead club.

Leo didn't hesitate. His horn flashed with gold, barrier of the same colour appearing around the bleeding noblemare and carrying her away behind the bar counter. More and more shields appeared around the nobility, separating them from the attackers.

"Honey, keep the undead away from me for a bit, please." he said, shoving a tide of skeletons away from him with new magical protection.

"On it," Fortune tore the side of her flowing dress, revealing brown-coated leg and a sawed-off shotgun hanging under the skirt. She didn't need to aim much, the dias where the engagement happened was in the middle of a circle empty of ponies, but now full of undead. Half of a zombie disappeared in the first blast, "I missed this."

"I thought we agreed on no heavy weapons at the ceremony!" Leo objected.

"Do you see a minigun around?" Fortune barked, obliterating two approaching zombies in one shot, "Rise again, I dare you."

It was going to be one hell of a marriage after all this was over.

In the chaos, Cromach, Secret Seeker, and Black Shield disappeared. Connie saw them run off through the main entrance, but was in no position to follow. She formed a telekinetic cowcatcher in front of her, and galloped as fast as she could outside.

Mansion entrance. Nothing.

Left into the gardens. Noises of battle. Run!

She tripped over something. Then...

 _I see stars..._

She recovered quickly. Black Shield couldn't hit her hard enough without one leg, but for the second blow she had the remaining horseshoe blades ready. Conne saw only a blurry flash of light on steel.

Back in the ballroom, the paralyzed trio of Arcane Hex, princess Luna, and princess Celestia finally broke free. The elderly archmage's horn sent out a pulse passing through the entire mansion proper. The pulse returned a moment later, focusing into one point on the tip of the unicorn's horn.

"BANISH!" Arcane Hex roared.

All undead burst into blue flames completely harmless to any living being, dissipating instantly into dust fading into nothingness and leaving no trace anything ever happened.

Black Shield felt pain for the first time since her death, or at least something very similar, and missed. She stumbled backwards from the devastating magic coming from the mansion, unable to think coherently or move in any focused manner. Contradiction silently thanked whoever caused her attacker to stumble, and her mind formed a blade. She couldn't hold it for long in her completely wasted state, but she didn't have to. Black Shield's backside and hind legs got cleanly cut off with a thought. Shield's body falling on the mess of grass and organs tried to crawl, but couldn't do much with having only one leg and half a torso at its disposal.

"Die, you catbird nuisance!" heard Connie.

Short distance away, a huge ball of magma and flames coagulated above Secret Seeker, dripping molten death around him. The unicorn's robe was torn and burned, but Connie couldn't see much more past the bright, blazing sphere...

... that shot at Cromach.

The monochromatic unicorn mare's world stopped. Her blood turned to ice as she opened her mouth to scream. She felt sharp pain in her forehead, crunching of a bone, tasted iron as blood poured from her mouth and nose, and was blinded when the inferno unleashed by Secret Seeker hit Cromach, so powerful that it singed her mane and coat even from that far.

Her bursting tears evaporated in the burning air.

Cromach saw only white even through closed eyelids. He gasped, but there was no air to breathe. Everything burned...

...and then it all stopped.

Lungful after lungful of air smelling of incinerated grass filled him. He was lying in an untouched circle of green surrounded by smoldering desolation and soil turned to glass by heat. Neither of the two thieves were around, only a black and white unicorn sitting unsteadily, mumbling to herself, and dripping blood from her muzzle. Cromach flew over to her, not daring to touch the scorched ground.

"Ai pooshd and pooshd and pooshd all d air away," swaying Connie repeated, visible dark crack running through her horn from the tip down, "Nuffin' to burn 'n vacuum. Ai pooshd and pooshd-"

Then Cromach said exactly the wrong thing:

"Did you see where they went? Damn Celestia should have sent us a unicorn to be useful."

Connie looked upwards at him, tears mixing with blood.

"I mean wizard recruit," Crom realized what he's said too late, "I mean-" he stopped.

Connie's world shut down.

 _I must not get distracted like this again._

 _Nothing would have happened if I was sober._

 _I could have ripped them both to shreds if I didn't get wasted to seduce him._

 _Good job I did of that anyway..._

 _I must be like steel._

 _I can't go for false hope again._

 _No matter that he grabbed me._

 _No matter that he's hugging me._

 _No matter that everything hurts._

 _I could have stopped this._

 _I ruined Leo and Fortune's ceremony._

 _I failed them all._

She felt Cromach put her on his back. Unfortunately, the pressure on his stomach coupled with exhaustion, nerves, adrenaline, and amount of alcohol enough to fell a minotaur caused a chain reaction starting in her belly.

She pushed herself off of the griffon, swayed a moment before regaining balance, and shoved her head into a nearby bush. There was an unconscious guard lying there, who had no idea that meeting Black Shield was just the first part of his misery.

"Bluuuurghh-"

Connie was the other.

Stumbling backwards when she was done, she wobbled into Cromach ready and waiting. She couldn't bear looking into his eyes.

"Aim.. shorry Ai... suck," was all she could say before passing out.


	9. Hit Hard: Recovery

Several days after the incident at the Goldhorn manor, Contradiction finally left the confines of her room.

She had been left alone by everypony while Cromach took care of all the paperwork surrounding the theft of ancient magical artefacts, grand use of dark magic, and barely averted massacre. The griffon knew that more than anything that had happened during the ceremony, what hurt Connie were his words. He had tried to talk to her, but she ordered the cooks to have her meals delivered and her room was locked. Trying to talk through the door had been fruitless either.

Was Contradiction furious about what Crom said?

No, she wasn't. The thing that twisted her stomach every time she recalled nearly getting her head cut off by the undead earthpony was that she knew in all her being that Crom had been right. She was less than a unicorn and she would always be. She couldn't fly, magic was nothing but a dream for her, and she would never reach physical atributes of a trained earthpony to compensate.

On the morning of day three, after spending far too much time than a young lady should in a dark room with her box of stress relievers of all shapes and sizes, the black and white unicorn emerged from her refuge with a determined expression on her face.

Astray was worried when he saw his unkempt boss smelling of sweat and other things approach the squad during the early training. Anvil greeted Contradiction with her usual mix of hostility, pride, and only the slightest hint of respect which the unicorn just shrugged off without a comment. That should have been the group's first clue, as Connie had answered Anvil's taunts and challenges every time before. Even Bubbles happily leaping straight at the mare with mouth open and tongue stuck out to lick her muzzle was simply telekinetically plucked from mid-air and set down on the lawn.

That was the second clue, because nopony, no matter how afraid at first, could refuse Bubbles' enthusiasm and boundless love she offered when treated with even the tiniest bit of friendship.

After that, Connie ordered them to move to the training grounds behind the mansion which were the personal gauntlet of Horatio Cross, the Order's changeling weapon trainer, and a living supersoldier.

At that point, the group should have started running.

The only three Order members to practice in this place were Cross himself, Cromach, and Antares, yet another changeling who was a hoof-to-hoof brawling and martial arts specialist. The training course was too difficult for Connie, normal recruits, even Anvil after three rounds. Astray was barely walking after the first round, Connie collapsed several times through but always got up without a word, only Bubbles was leaping over five ponies high walls with the pure joy of a hunting dog being taken for a walk after being locked up for a week.

Connie's reason for butchering her squad and pushing them far beyond their limits was simple - she had failed against the attackers, they were even worse than she was, there was maybe only a little time before the second encounter, _anything_ was better than death on the battleground. The _official_ reason.

The grip of Astray's hand on the rope failed, sending the satyr down on the baked ground. He'd almost gotten over the wooden wall, but now he had his breath knocked out of him. His eyes were burning from sweat pouring down his forehead, he could barely see, but he could hear the angry growl punctuated by gasping for air from a different obstacle nearby - a net of wires Contradiction was crawling underneath:

"Get up -haah- you useless -huff- piece of shit or -haaah- the next rope you touch -hrrg- will be a noose!"

This was the fifth round. Astray lying on his back only in his pants knew he wouldn't be able to finish it. A loud thud followed by cursing from the end of the track told him Anvil was nearing the end of her rope as well, although he had to admit she _did_ deserve praise for being two rounds ahead of him.

He groaned, got up, his head spun, and he fell back down. Bubbles, panting but still ecstatic about the workout, stopped by and licked his face clean. At that point, Astray envied the half-demon's energy and would have traded places with her no matter how small his potential cage would be.

"Wheeeeee!" Bubbles leapt up on the wooden wall, her claws scored more grooves into it as her forelegs pushed her upwards, she locked her hind legs around the climbing rope hanging from the top, and in few short pulls upwards was on the other side. Astray sighed, shook his head, and went for yet another attempt. He finally climbed on the top and swung his legs over the edge to jump down when his vision blurred again and instead of jumping he keeled over like a rag doll. The best he could do was to bend his arms to cusion the drop.

No matter how hard he tried he couldn't get up anymore after not even an hour of this torture.

"Come ooon," he mumbled quietly to himself, trying to persuade his arms to push him off the ground fruitlessly, "Get up before-"

His body was lifted up in a soft white glow sharply contrasting with Contradiction's furious expression. Astray _knew_ the choking unicorn must be seeing red. Anvil stopped what she was doing and half-ran half-limped over to check up on him.

The satyr expected to be yelled at, or wheezed at as Connie didn't look in a shape to do more, but she just lifted him a little higher and then tossed him back down. He landed on his legs which immediately gave out under his weight and...

...hit something soft and firm at the same time.

Barely conscious, Astray wasn't in the shape to comment on completely nude Anvil catching him against her chest and slinging him over her shoulder.

"Break..." Connie hissed, still panting, "Get out... of my sight..." she spat on a nearby patch of not yet trampled grass, "Training with normals... later... teamfight... ing."

She fell over, pawed at the grass, and pushed herself back up. Ignoring Anvil slowly backing off with Astray hanging limply from her, the unicorn wobbled back towards a horizontal ladder called monkey bars by some, jumped upwards, wrapped her hooves around the first bar, swung forwards to reach for the next, dropped like a rock, jumped back up, slammed into the ground, back up...

"She's not going to be in a shape to do anything if she goes all crazy like that," Anvil muttered, ignoring both her and Astray's sweat flowing through her coat like a river. She carried him off to a pile of their things and put him surprisingly gently on the soft grass. He just stared upwards at the sky, no matter Anvil's sweat-drenched coat clinging to her clearly visible everything. He had no strength left to do more than breathe.

Anvil stared at her discarded loincloth next to her small bag with five bottles of water, four now empty. Without asking, she opened Astray's large bag containing the princess' gift armor and only a single bottle. She rolled her eyes. Unscrewing her last one, she took a long draft, poured most of its contents over herself, and chucked the rest at Astray's face. Sadly, while such waste woke the satyr up from his exhausted daze, he couldn't catch any sweet drink in his mouth so, as Anvil turned her back to him, he only watched the wasted refreshing liquid trickle down her coat and inbetween her wide, muscular buttcheeks. For once, he really, _really_ just wanted a cold drink.

When his head finally stopped spinning, he stood up, promptly catching Anvil's hand for support. Expecting to be pushed away, he let go and the hand wrapped around his shoulders.

"Sorry," he said.

"You should be," Anvil huffed, "dragging me away from training like that. I could have gone at least another round if I didn't have to carry your weak ass back."

"You're really strong, heh," Astray eased himself against her, appreciating the help with walking.

"Yes, I'm not you," Anvil simply stated, carrying both her and the satyr's bags in one hand. The set of armor _was_ ridiculously heavy when held like that and she was exhasted as well, not that she would ever admit it, but her teammate couldn't even walk anymore, so it was up to her to take care of the situation.

Bubbles ran over as they reached the cooler shadow cast by the mansion.

"You done?" Anvil asked.

"Yeah, I didn't want to bother miss Contradiction while sleeping."

"Sleeping?" Anvil looked at Cross' private training grounds. A black pile was lying underneath the ladder trapeze, unmoving and baking in the sun. It was going to be one hell of a scorcher today. Anvil wanted to at least drag the obviously unconscious unicorn to the shade, but she felt Connie was trying to work through something that had happened to her during her and Cromach's day off, and that her help, while maybe necessary, was definitely unwanted.

To Anvil, stupidity was like a disease - it had to get worse before it got better.

"Woooooooo!" some recruit currently on a break yelled, starting a cascade of whistles and admiring comments, when they walked back onto the common training grounds in front of the mansion. The minotaur was becoming a well-known attraction and welcome distraction of the Order proper. Anvil pondered for a moment if it was a mistake to not put at least her loincloth back on, and then just shrugged. It was too hot already and it was still just morning. Instead, she lobbed an empty plastic water bottle so hard it impaled itself on the yelling unicorn's horn.

"They like you..." Astray, slowly falling asleep while walking, or more being dragged, with each passing minute.

"Shut up or I'm throwing _you_ ," she grinned as the attention and laughter turned to her victim trying in panic to free his horn.

"Heheh..."

Still, she knew something was very wrong and suspected there was more to come than this insane morning.

She was right.

Hour and a half after lunch when squad training was scheduled, Connie walking unsteadily joined the others outside on a free part of the front lawn where four recruits nearing the end of the year of their training time within the Order were waiting already. Two unicorns, one earthpony, and one pegasus, all armed with practice weaponry.

"Alright," Connie started, "Thanks for coming, I hope Cross isn't too mad at me for borrowing you."

"No, ma'am!" the 'enemy' team saluted. The earthpony, surprisingly enough their leader, added, "He said he would watch, but he is busy with grandmaster Antares at the moment. Something about private lessons."

"Right, right. Some nobles need more sessions because they won't be able to be here until the end of the year. They want to also go through official Canterlot Royal Guard bootcamp which overlaps with our plan," she shook her head. Poorly timed business practices were not the point of today, "Nevermind, we don't need an audience for this. I told Cross to give me his best team to practice against because these guys... _we_ need a serious challenge. I want you to go all out."

"Yes, ma'am!"

"You three," Connie gave a quick look to her squad, "Do you know these ponies?"

"We played ball!" Bubbles smiled at the enemies.

"Yeah," Anvil dusts her palms off, "they learned I'm out of their league faster than the others."

"No," admitted Astray, slightly ashamed after the other's familiarity with the other team.

"Meh," Connie frowned, "I was hoping their skill would be a surprise for you to adapt to in the fight, but this'll have to do. Now, I'll be limiting myself to average telekinetic power. Bubbles!"

"Yes?" the hybrid's large ears perked up.

"No biting, clawing, or melting through armor along with them. Just enough to bruise or scratch, got it?"

"Okay!"

"Anvil, you do whatever you want. Astray, try not to swallow your own tongue or trip over the damn sword," she scowled at the satyr.

Anvil didn't comment, just picked up a practice two-handed mace with heavily padded top. Astray went for a standard longsword while Connie levitated a greatsword for herself.

"Off to your positions," Connie pointed to the one end of the designated area and then to the other, "Got a minute to formulate a battle plan. If Astray doesn't choke on his own drool we might even progress to a different kind of terrain than flat grassland next time."

Astray winced when Connie looked at him, eyes narrowing. It would have been fine if the entirety of the enemy team didn't start measuring him up and calculating how to put pressure on him as the weakest link. What was Contradiction's problem with him? He couldn't understand the sudden change of position. He was doing his best. True, it wasn't as much as Anvil or Bubbles could do, but he kept going until his body failed him. He couldn't do more, could he?

Shaking his head, he gave his fake sword few practice swings before Contradiction pulled them all into a huddle.

"Basic concepts which all of you should have noticed - the enemy team has two unicorns and one pegasus. Astray, what do you make of it?" Connie barked out.

"Umm," the satyr panicked, "I-"

"Aaand you're dead. Congratulation, you dragged your team down six feet under. Anvil, any predictions?"

"We have no magical protection. Bubbles is partially resistant as a demon or whatever she is and she's crazy fast so she should take care of at least one of the unicorns, preferrably the one who shows himself to be a mage. You, as our only long-range support will be wanting to make the pegasus drop down where we can deal with him plus I have no doubt he'll be using long range weapons so you can stop that. I'll deal with the earthpony easily. Astray should-"

"Learn to assess his situation and watch his surroundings constantly," Connie interrupted her. Anvil's nod made the satyr look down at the grass and sigh.

"-Definitely, but he is agile enough to at least slow down a flying sword so he should deal with the unicorn who is not a pure spellcaster, if there is one. That team composition would make sense if I discount the possibility that one of them is a combat medic. Am I right in assuming they are experienced in working together as a team unlike us?"

"They are used to working in a team, not in that specific group, yes."

"Then we need to split them because I have no idea how any of you will react to situations that can emerge."

"Good eyes, but planning's my job, not yours," Connie nodded. Anvil's eyes bulged at the casual reminder she is not the leader of this operation, "Now listen carefully. Bubbles will rush as fast as she can around them to flank the unicorn who stays behind, he _will_ be the mage. Anvil, you charge straight at the earthpony. If you can yell from the top of your lungs that would help. It screws up unicorn concentration. I'll drag the pegasus down and prevent him from doing anything while Astray 'kills' him. That means you'll have to watch your sides for a flying sword as well for a short while, Anvil. Got it?"

"Splitting them up into one versus ones sounds way better," Anvil objected.

"I'm not going through this insubordination bullshit _again,"_ Connie stomped the ground, "You either listen to me, or we lose. I don't have to prove anything to you, you have to prove _everything_ to me."

The minotaur shook her head but didn't say anything else and just cracked her neck. As the huddle ended, the enemy group was already prepared, forming a triangle with the pegasus hovering above the other three. As expected, the earthpony was in the front while the two unicorns took their positions further away from Connie's group. The black and white unicorn mare pointed at each member and at a spot on the ground, making them form a wiggly line with Bubbles on the left side and herself on the right.

"Ready?" she called out to the enemies who saluted as one. Taking a deep breath, Connie muttered, "Don't fuck this up, don't fuck this up, don't fuck this up. GO!"

Anvil roared and charged. The earthpony in the front line quickly reached into his saddlebag and lobbed something towards her. Black, choking smoke blinded the minotaur, but she managed to take a deep breath before rushing through the thick haze. Emerging on the other side of the cloud of gas, she found herself faced with not the earthpony, but one of the unicorns who switched positions with him. Prepared for assaulting a strong but slow target, Anvil dug her hooves into the ground in order to turn around and block a flying sword instead. Connie's plan was failing from step one.

The unicorn who stayed behind waved his hoof glowing bright blue in tune with his horn, and five sparkling balls appeared above him. He pointed at Anvil turning around frantically to keep blocking or dodging a weapon being levitated with much more agility then she could muster. The only good point for her was that such quick bursts of movement required the controlling unicorn to be standing still and focusing. The mage pointed at Anvil and...

...was immediately dropped as Bubbles covered by the smoke as well shot out like a bullet and ended the fight for him like a hungry timberwolf with her smaller mouth full of needles stopping short of decapitating him. The hovering magic projectiles dissipated in accordance with the mage being out of the fight. Bubbles looked around for a new target when another vial splattered over her muzzle, this one emitting a cripplingly strong acrid smell. The wizard Bubbles was standing on gagged and choked, but the abomination herself pawed helplessly at her muzzle, running in circles and rolling on the grass trying to recover from nasal overload that took her completely by surprise.

With that going on, Connie's bolt of telekinetic pressure hit the hovering pegasus in his ear while another one struck a point underneath his wing. He immediately lost all balance and plunged to the ground. Astray saw the disoriented pony's fall and rushed over

"Earthpony alchemist, smart job putting him forward to pretend he's the front line. Too bad none of my idiots noticed him being unarmed," Connie grinned to herself. She knew what the deal was, she just couldn't tell the others to assure the integrity and surprise factor of the team exercise.

Charging straight at the earthpony, Connie predicted him reaching for his bag yet again and put more telekinetic pressure on his hoof when he pulled out another doubtlessly incapacitating concoction. The vial cracked in his grasp, sending black semi-sentient webbing wrapping around his own legs and mouth and tying him up completely before he could even scream.

From the corner of her eyes she saw a flash of grey, and only her quick reflexes allowed her weapon to block the sword flying her way. With widening eyes she noticed Anvil lying on the grass, tapped out, then something hit her behind, stinging like a bolt of lightning.

She was hit by a practice crossbow bolt, which meant she was out as well. The bolts were made by a Royal Guard design, having a pink pom-pom of something stupidly sticky that stung like all hells instead of a sharp head. Where did it come from, though?

She looked around at the results of the lost fight.

Connie could sympathize with Bubbles still retching while being gently patted by the unicorn she 'took out' offering her his water bottle. The alchemical artillery was always a nightmare to fight against but also to use, because any quick thinking unicorn would do to a pony attempting ot use potions the same thing Connie did to the earthpony still helplessly rolling around wrapped in a black cocoon. The basic version of the 'potion' lasted only a minute or two, and wasn't really dangerous. The more potent ones could crush a bound target's bones.

She looked at Anvil sitting up, massaging her abs. The minotaur caught her stare and frowned.

"I noticed too late he was levitating a dagger as well as the longsword," she huffed, "Damn cheating unicorns."

Contradiction wasn't too mad about that one, Anvil almost bought her enough time to go through with her plan. That, and telekinetic dual-wielding was an extremely difficult style of fighting but an evenly rewarding one. Someone facing it for the first time had little to no chance of winning against an experienced or at least trained user. But what got her from behind? She turned around-

"OH SUCK A THOUSAND DRAGON COCKS!"

-and _screamed._

Astray was on his back, being straddled by the pegasus toying with his crossbow.

"HOW? How in burning flames of hell did a concussed pegasus freaking beat you?" she threw her forelegs towards the sky, "You know what?" she stopped the satyr opening his mouth, "I don't even want to know. You are _by far_ the worst piece of meat anypony could have thrown my way. Even some dumb farmer could just smack his head few times with a shovel and survived the encounter, but _you_...! I just don't get it, Cromach told me you were suicidal, but do you want ME to end you? Because if you do then just say it right here and now. I will report is as a training accident and find some new idiot who can at least stop a STUNNED ENEMY!"

The white glow of her telekinesis _ripped_ the stuck 'crossbow bolt' off along with some hair on her behind as she stood up.

"I'm tired of this, I'm tired of always having to work with new trash who mess everything up the first second they can. I'm tired of always-" she shut up, walking off, "Screw this, I think I know enough about you for now. This was just an experiment anyway, I hope Cross accidentally bashes your brains out later, you worthless piece of crap."

Astray knew full well the last part was not aimed at Anvil, who lacked skill but not determination or strength, nor Bubbles, who didn't really grasp the more complex concepts of existential failure, but at him. He was sure that losing the fight was not the issue, it was the way he himself lost it for the others.

"I'm tired of it, of losing due to no fault of my own. This stupid body, stupid company, stupid Canterlot zombie, stupid, unattractive, unwanted piece of shit," Connie said to herself when she was sure nopony else heard.

A large hand landed on Astray's head when Contradiction and the opposing group left, ruffling his grey hair.

"He waited," Astray mumbled to Anvil squatting next to him, "Whatever she did didn't stun him. He just waited until I came close and then kicked me in the balls. I dropped like a bag of sand."

"Props to him for hitting a target of that size," Anvil sneered.

"I guess..." he just sighed.

"Look. I don't know who pissed in her morning coffee, but she's unreal today. I'm gonna have a word with the big guy. You coming?"

Astray couldn't be more in shock if he chewed through an electric wire.

"What? No! You can't do that! It's just... I'm bad. I know I'm bad at all this. It's not her fault, it's mine! You'll just make it worse. I just need to work harder, get better faster so I'm at least a bit closer to you and Bubbles. I _did_ ruin it for you-"

Her hand grasped his hair, pulling him unwillingly upwards. Forcing him to look up into her eyes as she leaned down, she said:

"Spineless. Coward."

His eyes teared up at the truth.

"But I'm not," Anvil added, pushing his head away, "No one can reach the results she wants in a week. Especially with no skill and previous physical training. This is not teaching nor practice, this is raw abuse. She might have snapped but I must admit the griffon upstairs seemed to know his stuff. If he sides with her then I misjudged them both and they aren't worth my presence here."

Astray just whimpered as the minotaur left. He was sure nothing good would come out of it.

Two hours later, Contradiction entered Cromach's office and saluted under the white griffon's stern and inquisitive stare.

"I have a complaint here about your reportedly abusive behaviour towards your teammates today. Got anything to say about it?"

"What, did Astray run whining straight to you after he completely boned us during the squad training? I should have known."

Cromach raised an eyebrow at the animosity in Connie's low tone of voice. His talons drummed on his wooden desk.

"No, actually, _he_ did not. The minotaur, Anvil, did. She said your demands ranged from unreasonable to downright impossible, and when not being met you 'went full straightjacket' at her teammate. Her words, not mine. You know her better than I do by now, but Anvil didn't seem to me like one to lie, rather like one to tell you when you're being an idiot no matter status or situation. On top of that, she enjoys laughing at somepony else's expense which is why I doubt she would go straight to me if it wasn't serious."

Connie took a deep breath, thinking about her next words in the lengthening silence.

"Astray could barely finish three rounds of sargeant Cross' personal gauntlet, and then he got taken out by a stunned pegasus during the teamfight practice. Don't tell me he didn't deserve a bit of yelling."

"You know that Cross' course is exceedingly difficult in order to test stamina, strength, and agility of someone who was _made_ , literally, for battle and survival and has access to changeling love energy reserves. Even I can do hour and a half tops there. If Astray made it through multiple rounds without any prior experience then you should commend him, not threaten to hang him. Speaking of which, how many did you do?"

She bit her lip.

"Four... almost. Then I passed out."

"And this is your second year here. You've been with us nearly from the beginning and you're trying to make a young satyr run through a gauntlet not meant for a biped when he's not been around for even a week. Why?"

"BECAUSE HE CAN DO MORE! BECAUSE HE'LL BE ABLE TO DO MORE! BECAUSE HIS BODY WASN'T _MADE_ TO BE SHIT!" she screamed in his face.

"Connie, I've known you for a while now. That's not you. What's wrong?"

"No, sir, that's _exactly_ me. That's the problem," he voice cracked and she sniffled, wiping her eyes, "The mage at the ceremony almost killed you. I couldn't do pretty much anything. The damn zombie he had with him would have killed me if some spell cast inside the mansion didn't stop her. I need the idiots to get stronger faster because I sure as all fucking hells can't protect you!"

Cromach stared in complete surprise as Connie continued:

"I couldn't stop Blaze from dying, I couldn't stop Three from dying, I couldn't stop Walter from dying, I couldn't stop-"

"Connie, you saved _me_ ," he walked from behind his desk, grabbed her by her shoulders, and looked into her each differently coloured eye, " _I_ couldn't stop them from dying either. Cross couldn't. Shadowstep couldn't. Blaze couldn't..."

"Bu- but you said we needed a unicorn, back at the mansion, not me, and you were right. I couldn't track where the mage teleported. I just got drunk and nearly got both of us killed."

"No, what I said was the stupidest thing I could and even then I didn't mean it in the way you think. You. Saved. Me. Without you I would have been fried chicken. The Royal Guard still hasn't tracked the mage, and they have experts. Aaaand from what I heard the guard you threw up all over wasn't _that_ mad," he gave Connie an encouraging smile followed by a tight hug.

She couldn't resist feeling safe in his embrace and chuckled in response.

"I'm sorry."

"I'm not the one to apologize to, Connie. Just trust me when I say that I appreciate you being around. You have a rare talent-"

"Defect," she mumbled.

"-TALENT. It has drawbacks you are fighting through and you are far from done. Your teammates are not perfect, but it's your job as a leader to inspire them to do something, not _force_ them to do it. I might be an idealist, but that's how I see it. You'll grow into a beautiful and absurdly powerful mare one day, and I completely realize I'm just five years older than you while saying this. Ehm..."

"Can I grow into her with you?" she squeaked weakly.

"You'll have a place here with the Order as long as you want to."

She sighed, pushing him away. That wasn't really the answer she was hoping for, but also not the one she was dreading. Connie decided to look at things from the positive side for today.

"Thank you, sir. I think I have a lot to do and think about."

"No more crazy threats to your teammates?"

"I'll try to control myself in times of their failure."

Cromach rolled his eyes. Connie chuckled.

"One last thing, food for thought as you ponies say," the griffon sat back down into his chair.

"Yes?"

"Now you know _exactly_ how Fortune felt when her whole first team died in front of her. Remember how you chewed her out for it over and over and over? You two are really similar, down to your... unusual interest in me."

Connie stared, completely frozen. Then she just nodded and left without a word while her head worked through what Cromach had said.

Back inside her room, she finally opened a window and let a breath of fresh air in. She could hear every outdoor noise of training recruits and bustling Manehattan. Nopony could see inside through drawn curtains billowing in soft wind. After few comparative sniffs of the heavy air hanging around, Connie had to admit it was about time to do that. Sitting down on the bed, she levitated a box from underneath it, the piece of cardboard being responsible for the state of her private quarters. Well, the contents, not the box itself.

"Heh, he called me beautiful..." the unicorn smiled to herself, rummaging through the rubber and silicone replicas in her private toy box. The majority of the toys inside were griffon-shaped privates, but few pony, dragon, diamond dog, and even some ones belonging to a purely imaginary species were also around.

She levitated a griffon one, staring at it.

"Walter... I really thought that I wanted Cromach to be just a replacement for you, but I was wrong. I'm crazy about him, literally apparently. What would you say to me in this situation?"

The battered and obviously frequently used dildo, understandably, didn't answer.

Her gaze turned from the toy towards a shimmering rusty feather lying on the bedside table. As Connie levitated it up, the rust from the feather bled away into the air, forming a smokey shape of a young griffon of the same colour. She stared at Walter Grant's image before putting the feather back down on the table, making the life-sized image dissipate. Connie sighed, she knew that dwelling on the past and on the ones already dead was pointless, but some memories were hard to let go.

She levitated a different, although still griffon, toy. A shamefully treasured one on top. It was Cromach's replica she took one night about two months after Crom's lover's death. The griffon had drunk far too much in those days, well, all days since the death until Anvil, Astray, and Bubbles arrived. She had found him passed out in his office, brought a molding kit previously used on Walter, although that time it had been with his amused consent, and after some 'persuasion' made a good enough likeness of the part she wanted. It wasn't the biggest one or the thickest one she had by far, but it was _his_.

Perhaps her boss was right in assuming her feelings were unhealthy.

She shrugged. A pony of her 'astonishing social skills' took what she could, where she could, and when she could. Putting Cromach's replica back in the box, she levitated yet another shape. This one looked like a heavy, steel, upside down teardrop with a curved base it stood on. Damn Fortune had noticed Connie having it inside her during the ceremony, but... what was anypony's business with what Connie did to herself, right? Her reputation hinged on being good with weapons, skilled in combat, and a pretty decent accountant. What did it matter if recruits or anypony else considered her a perverted freak?

After some persuasion she managed to fit it where Celestia doesn't reach, reveling in the added weight and stretched insides. Some ponies used weights on their legs during training for better results. Connie considered those ponies both too puritanic, and not ambitious enough. She trained her everything.

At least that was her excuse.

Spending the rest of her free time in the garden maze behind the mansion adjacent to Cross' training grounds, she was the first one to arrive to the scheduled weapons training with the changeling hybrid himself.

Cross' usual disguise was that of a tall, black, sinewy but muscular batpony currently 'wearing' light blue mane, eyes, and tail, although as he knew any observant batpony would see through him. His wings were just a little too big, his shape a little too well toned and fit, and the final clue would be the fact that he could levitate weapons without a horn, of course. Cross' disguise was created to accentuate all batpony features without actually limiting himself to them. The air of absolute calm confidence around him told anyone able to read such signs that this changeling had been through hell and back so often he got a free lifetime ticket.

"Glad to see you back with us sane ponies," he saluted, laughing to himself. Connie knew he didn't mean anything bad by it, Cross wasn't the type.

"Ready to get my ass kicked, sargeant."

"Hmm," Cross raised an eyebrow, "I wouldn't want to stub a hoof, miss Contradiction. A steel plug, really?"

"Is it _that_ obvious?" Connie blushed, her previous determination that her business was just her business draining away fast.

"I am a changeling, at least partially. You are practically wrapped in the scent of lust. Plus, you've tried pulling this off times before. I distinctly remember Fortune teasing you for it repeatedly. Are you sure you want to wear something like that during training?"

"Yes," Connie nodded. It was dumb, dumb, dumb and impractical, but she couldn't just take it back now.

"As you wish. Since you are already here, care to go for a round before the others arrive?"

"Sure."

"What weapon do you want to go against?" Cross nodded towards an already prepared crate full of standard training fare.

"Honestly, after what happened at the ceremony I'd like to go against somepony using combat horseshoes."

"Alright, although I believe Antares would be a better sparring partner in this particular case."

"Will he be joining us?"

"Eventually. Cromach wanted to dust off his skills and will be using a patch of unoccupied lawn next to ours."

"I'll ask him later then. Let's go with swords for now."

Cross levitated a simple longsword while Connie opted for her usual oversized version. Thanks to her telekinesis which was the only point she had over Cross she held her own for few moments, but a dull blow to her neck ended the practice quickly. She could move her sword faster in the air, but Cross' telekinesis was precise, with no wasted movements, and the changeling himself could move around and dodge easily while she had to split her attention between him and his weapon. He was simply a thousand, no, a million times better than she would ever be. Life spanning centuries had its advantages, the greatest of which was insurmountable experience.

Astray, Anvil, and Bubbles arrived, although the first one walked with visible uncertainty when he noticed Connie sweating while lying on her back with Cross's blade returning to him after yet another beating.

"Bubbles first," Connie ordered, getting up, "you need experience more than stamina training since you can outlast all of us. Anvil next, Astray last so we can recover from having our asses kicked while Cross points out every single mistake he spots."

Astray gritted his teeth and Anvil frowned which didn't escape Connie's eyes, and she added:

"So that we can all learn something."

That earned her an apprasing raised eyebrow from the minotaur and a confused look from the satyr.

Connie had to reconsider her words when Cross transformed into a common diamond dog in order to teach Bubbles some wilder combat. The two blurs rushing around, biting each other and throwing one another around using claws weren't too great examples of something a pony or a tool-using biped could learn.

Bubbles rose from the ground, head spinning and eyes crossed.

"Dizzeeeee..." she flopped down again, admitting defeat.

Cross transformed into a unicorn, levitating her to the patch of grass where the rest of the group were relaxing. The practice was supposed to have three rounds. Each fight ended when Cross' opponent was either 'killed' or unable to move, then a new opponent would come, and when everyone took their turn, the next round would start.

Cross' unicorn transformation was to deal with Anvil who had proven before to have serious issues with flying weapons and agile enemies. She raised her two-handed mace and her personal nightmare began. At least it was over rather quickly when she took a wrong step and with only the slightest use of telekinesis Cross tripped her up.

"Damn cheaters!" the minotaur, lying on her back with Cross' sword on her thick neck, "How am I supposed to win if all you do is run away while a damn flying razor as following me?"

"Experience, young lady," Cross shook his head, "Unicorns usually have an attack pattern designed to surprise you. The more experience you have, the harder that becomes. You may have noticed that whenever you turned towards me to hit me with your mace, my sword was directly behind you. I _could_ have easily switched it up, but you kept falling for it over and over. Dodging while using precise telekinesis is difficult even for a trained unicorn so they usually go for a single practiced move which you have to read and deflect. In short, use your head instead of your hands, Anvil."

"Well, the amount of muscle in each is about even," Astray snorted, covering his mouth. Everyone aside from Anvil chuckled. The minotaur shot the satyr a murderous glare.

"Yeah? You have a go then, smartass! The day I see you do better than me is the day I'll know I drank too much mead," she barked.

"Calm your enormous tits, Anvil," Connie stood back up, levitating her greatsword, "You can dish out the roasting but you better learn to take it. It's my turn anyway."

As she faced Cross, Astray _did_ notice the unexpected glint of steel under Connie's tail, making him turn his head and blush. Where did he go wrong in his life to end in a company of a unicorn who hated him, a minotaur who considered him a mote of dust, a changeling in whose presence he was less than a fly, and a half-demon mare who considered him a source of free scratchies? Oh wait, it was because he was himself - Astray.

The sparring between Cross and Connie took significantly longer than anything preceding it, and while the satyr tried to discover some patterns in the use of their flying weapons, his attention turned more to Cromach arriving with another griffon, this one in full grey. Well, not a griffon but another disguised changeling. The two watched the training for few seconds before bowing to each other and starting their own unarmed practice. Now _that_ was something that made Astray's eyes go wide with amazement. He hated the idea of hurting others, mostly because of the belief that his own life wasn't worth endangering the life of anypony else, but if he could fight like Cromach and Antares then he could defend himself without killing.

"Yo, stop daydreaming and come get your fair share of pain," Connie, limping back to the resting spot called out to Astray.

"Fine, fine," he mumbled, "Not like I can barely move from this morning anyway..."

"Stop whining, stick figure," Anvil commented.

"I know, I know. Enemies won't wait for me to be in a good shape either," Astray swung his sword. He had thought about using a shield as well, but he liked the utility of being able to grab somepony in close quarters.

"Exactly," Cross circled around him, focused, and-

Poof!

-a perfect copy of Astray down to the long grey hair around his fetlocks looked at the original satyr. After a second or two, the copy's abs rose through the belly skin, his shoulders broadened slightly, and muscles all over the body came to prominence. Cross now looked sort of how Astray hoped he might with enough effort. Cross' sword ended in his new hand, and the changeling gave it few practice swings.

"Interesting form," Cross said in Astray's voice, "We've tried it the usual way before, but let's give this a shot."

Astray ended on his butt after a short exchange when Cross attacked, punched, and tripped him up at the same time.

"I'm starting to like the reach and utility of this body," the changeling said to himself, "Something ponies lack heavily."

"Umm, well, that's mine, though," Astray jumped back up.

"Well, then come and take it," the satyr's improved copy gave its original an evil grin. Astray had sometimes imagined what it would feel like to be useful, skilled, and confident. Now it all stood in front of him, so close he could reach out and touch it.

He failed. Of course he did. Even scratching Cross was far beyond his skill.

After two more rounds of everyone getting their asses handed to them by shapeshifting Cross, Astray had to ask:

"Is it actually possible for me to fight you on even terms, you know, ever?"

"No," Cross said simply, returning all used weapons back to the crate.

"Oh," Astray nodded. _He_ obviously couldn't do that. Cross's batpony wing patted his back comfortingly, "Huh?"

"Be glad about that, young satyr," said Cross, "I was _created_ by bloody magical rituals to be the superweapon I am now. I have lived over half a millenium fighting griffons, ponies, dragons, changelings, everything that tried to kill me. If I am ever serious, you will never beat me, Anvil will never beat me, demonic being like Bubbles will never beat me, a telekinetic prodigy like Contradiction will not even scratch me, Antares with all his experience and age will never beat me. I have myriads of magical weapons, trinkets, armors we gathered over ages at my disposal. Maybe, just maybe, if I taught Cromach for centuries he _might_ get close to harming me, but divine power works in strange ways. I have energy reserves my changeling part stores from adoration, respect, and friendship of my students, friends, and those I consider family. I know tactics, strategy, fighting styles nopony uses anymore. Beating yourself up over not standing even with me is pointless, Astray. Learn from me instead, you are a worthy student no matter what any pony or pile of muscle says," he gave the satyr a friendly smile with a hint of mischief and satisfaction born from Anvil's undignified huff, "I have yet to meet a being who could best me in terms of skill, and I fear for the fate of those I am protecting if I ever find one."

"Umm," Astray hesitated, "I hope you don't take this personally, but I'd rather learn from master Antares."

"Oh, was I too harsh with you?"

"No, nonono," Astray raised his hands defensively, "I... want to learn to defend myself, not to kill. The close combat he offers is more of that sort."

"Don't be decieved, he can be as deadly as I am for someone like you."

"Feh," Anvil snorted, "Your body isn't made for martial arts, weakling, trust me. Unless you are strong like me or fueled by unnatural energy like the changelings, don't waste your time with hand-to-hand combat. You will lose to anyone with a sharp or ranged weapon."

"And who made you an expert?" grey talons tap at her shoulder. Antares had obviously caught the debate and felt the need to correct the minotaur strong enough to take a break in his sparring with Cromach.

"I ripped a frost wolf in half, changeling, and wrestled a polar bear," Anvil pushes his talons off of her and stands up, "Your mystical mumbo jumbo about inner power is nonsense. You are either strong and have experience in close combat, or you are weak and fall before the strong one no matter what you _know_. It's about strength and speed, and if I have a dagger while you only have your talons, I win."

For everyone else, watching Antares' smug smile grow was akin to watching an impending train wreck. They knew what had to come, but they couldn't avert their eyes.

"Sooo," Antares cracked his talons and neck, "Let's say I give you a real weapon of your choice, and I don't use my love reserves to become stronger or tougher. Are you up for giving your words a little weight, or are you just blowing smoke? We have very good healers here in the Order, and I am an old changeling. I think I can survive your _attempt_ to incapacitate me."

"It's your funeral, _grandmaster_ Antares," Anvil shrugged, "I think the dagger would be appropriate. Or a short sword, I know the kind of toothpicks you ponies consider daggers."

"Cross, will you?" the grey 'griffon' nodded to the 'batpony'. A short sword materialized in front of Anvil who plucked it from mid-air.

Cromach facetaloned, Astray facepalmed, Connie facehoofed, and Cross facewinged. Bubbles kept grinning.

Anvil very, _very_ clearly recalled her insulting Cromach on the first day as she flew through the air in a lovely long arc ending with her face meeting the grass with a crunch. She didn't get up, instead opting for bleeding her confusion and concussion out on the grass.

"Welp, that should shut you up," Antares, untouched, dusted several strands of minotaur hair off himself, "Now for you, satyr."

"Me?" Astray completely forgot what started the whole thing for a second under Antares' stern glare.

"No, my mummified grandmother," the griffon rolled his eyes, "What the muscle-for-brains said was partially true, you need to be strong to counter somepony else's strength. You can't block or deflect a blow if you aren't on somewhat comparable level of physical strength unless they are blatantly stupid. BUT, even bigger but than the minotaur one you kept peeking at when you thought she wasn't looking, is that skill, agility, and speed can overcome that strength difference to an extent. And no, there is no mystical inner strength _mumbo jumbo_. There is only harsh training which I will gladly impart on you."

"Thank... you?" Astray was still coming to terms with how easily Anvil got destroyed.

"Heheheh," Antares' expression turned evil, "You will hate me, not thank me... at first. My condition is that you go with Cross' training _as well_. I will not go easy on you, Cross will not go easy on you, your teammates will not go easy on you. You will have to find the time and strength to do all that without failing your current duties. Still not dropping bricks into your pants?"

"All I can do is give my all, sir," Astray smiled weakly at the prospect of pain upon more pain.

"Well, if you want to screw us over like that then go for it," Anvil finally gathered herself, wiping her bleeding muzzle off and speaking with unusual hostility, "You could barely do the basic physical training and without my massages you wouldn't even stand on your own after two days. A wealking like you must focus on one thing and learn to do it well instead of learning a bit here and there. You'll just be a burden to us all if you do that. I'm not going to waste my time every evening on you."

Astray closed his eyes. She was, of course, right. He could focus on Cross' weapon training now and learn hand-to-hand when he could at least hold his own, but...

...but he reminded himself he wasn't worth the spilled blood of others and never would be.

"Then thank you for helping me this far, Anvil," he said in complete seriousness. She threw her hands to the sky and groaned in frustration, "Master Antares, is there really a chance for me?"

"Pfff," the griffon stuck his tongue out, "Don't worry about chances of success. The road is more important than the goal or whatever. I've never been one for stupid sayings, they oversimplify the effort put into things too much. Oh, one final thing!" Antares smiled brightly, something Astray would learn to hate and fear soon enough, when everypony started to get their things and return to their rooms for the evening, "I said you were going to be doing _both_ trainings."

"Of course-" Astray looked at him questioningly, but was interrupted.

"Starting now!" Antares wiggled his eyebrow.

"Enjoy yet another failure," Anvil spat out, leaving without turning her head.

Night fell on Manehattan.

Bubbles was asleep and Anvil was reading her history tome. The door clicked open, revealing Astray covered in dried blood, black bruises, scratch marks, dirt, and smelling of sweat.

"You smell worse than Canterlot beer and look as if you escaped a griffon butcher-"

Thud!

She stared at the collapsed satyr lying on his stomach, shook her head, and jumped up from the bed to see if he was breathing. It was there, shallow and irregular, and Astray was clearly out of it. In his shape it must have been a miracle he walked up the stairs.

Picking him up and throwing him onto his top bunk, she sighed at his stupidity.

"You might not have a brain or cock, but sometimes you show some serious balls. I wonder how soon you'll give up and quit."

* * *

"Haaah!" Black Shield's suddenly working lungs took in a serving of air normally associated with deep sea divers.

Like a spark of light out of nothingness, Shield's consciousness returned. She thrashed around, looking in panic for the attacking black and white unicorn...

...and finding herself instead inside the same laboratory where Secret Seeker had reanimated her some time ago.

There was no threat nearby. No monstrously strong griffon, no unicorn who slashed and ripped Shield to pieces with her mind, nopony but her 'master' patiently watching her spasming with unamused expression and levitating some sort of needle made from obsidian. As soon as she realized, to her slight disappointment, that her unwanted servitude still wasn't over, Shield calmed down and examined her body. There were clear stitched wounds where the unicorn at the ceremony had torn her to pieces, the biggest ones being around her leg and a long sowing mark across her barrel.

"Oh damn," the details of the fight resurfaced in Shield's mind, "Did she really cut me in half? Like, with telekinesis. How is that possible? Wait, did you scoop up my insides as well, or does this body work without them just fine? Wait, did you kill them? If you did, I'm gonna do nothing but sit here because, you know, your stupid spell, but I'll be giving you a really harsh stare!"

"Alright, body is working. Maybe some lingering brain damage," Secret Seeker shrugged, "or maybe it's just because she's an earthpony," he turned around, walked over to his chemistry table and started toying with something small, "Back to work it is..."

"Hey!" Shield jumped off of the steel table and joined Seeker who was bathing one of the stolen rings in various chemical concoctions. As she walked, Shield noticed something was off about her balance, "Did my ass get bigger, you perv?"

"Maybe you should exercise more," Seeker said non-committally, "And eat less sweets."

"If you wanted more jiggle while humping somepony you should have reanimated a zebra," Shield huffed, experimentally kicking her hind legs. She wasn't _feeling_ slower or weaker, more like the exact opposite, "Though this backside would make Celestia turn her head in wonder."

Secret Seeker sighed and rolled his eyes.

"You're not going to let me work unless I sate your curiousity, right? Well-developed glute muscles are the basis for good running, agility, or balance if you are trying to fight while standing upright. On top of that, if you kick somepony now they won't be standing up, ever. Understood?"

Shield poked her behind. Seeker was telling the truth, it was tough, resilient, and powerful muscle, but... there was a soft, plush feeling right under the skin and coat. On top of that, Seeker could have just told her to shut up and not bother him which would have worked just fine while she was controlled by the spell. He liked to hear himself talk and present his knowledge which was admittedly vast. Definitely an academic type, her master. Yet another trait to abuse, because smart ponies with big egos never even think they might make a mistake.

"If you care only about my combat prowess and can obviously do some crazy stuff with my body, why not just give me tough skin or something? I wasn't much of a threat to the damn unicorn."

"Tough and heavy skin means slower movement. Whoever the unicorn was, she clearly suffered from thaumic suppression, an incurable disability making unicorn's overly powerful telekinesis block their magic and making their body fragile. Most unicorns with it either die or commit suicide out of insanity caused by the difference between what their body tells them they are and what they really are. It's similar with pegasi who can't fly, but with unicorns it's more mental, thus devastating. That unicorn was indeed an interesting case, though. To me it looked as if she took complete control of her condition, got rid of her magic, and focused on the telekinesis. She was definitely a well physically trained pony. Perhaps there is a way of working with the disease that is not generally known, and someone used this secret to help her. That is my best guess."

"Plus, groping my plot wouldn't be as amazing if it was hard like dragon scales, right?"

" _That_ was the part you focused on?" Seeker huffed.

"Nope, that's the part _you_ focus on," Shield stuck her tongue out.

Seeker's telekinetic grip crushed a hovering vial.

"Alright!" the wizard growled, "I wanted to give you some time to recover, but it looks like you are juuust fine already. On the table!" he ordered sharply.

"You _do_ realize I can't feel physical pain and killing me just sets me free, don't you?" Shield jumped back up on the operating table and lay on her back.

"I hate you so much..." Seeker whispered.

"Heard tha-" she saw a silvery blur near her behind, then a strange sensation of discomfort. She bent her neck to look between her hind legs where Seeker was levitating the obsidian needle again and also dragging something long and obviously heavy on the floor, "Hey, that was my tail! What gives?"

"Shut up before I attach this thing the wrong way around!" Seeker barked. Shield's mouth closed automatically and didn't allow her any more jabs at her master's expense.

Stabs of 'cold heat' was the only way she could describe what was going on back there. She watched quietly as Seeker pressed the long floppy thing where the dock of her tail used to be, and started his magical sowing. It took forever, but the unicorn was precise, methodical, and patient. Without any clock around or any way to tell time at all in this underground cellar laboratory, Shield had no clue how long it really took, but when she felt new weight on her hindquarters and her brain started registering some sort of appendage she knew it was almost done.

"Phew!" Seeker wiped his forehead, "It's still difficult, even if one doesn't have to care about a living subject's survival. You can stand back up now. Be careful not to flop over and mess up my lab."

"Holy fires of Celestia's sun!" Black Shield stared, mouth agape. Where her nice and fluffy pony tail used to be, there now was a long, prehensile, scaly tail the length of her entire barrel ending in some sort of stinger. That explained yet another reason for her expanded size of booty muscles, because the tail had to be extremely tough and very heavy. It slithered in the air, twitching and coiling as Shield's head was getting used to transmitting commands through new nerves.

Shield swished the tail left, it went right with much greater force than expected, trashing a steel tray full of surgical implements.

 _"Wait a second!"_ Shield thought to herself.

She carefully checked several more responses of her tail, and then...

...she wrapped it around Secret Seeker and threw him at the nearest wall. The crunch of bones was a heavenly rewarding sound. She now knew what she had to do, aimed the stinger at the unicorn, and...

...nothing.

As soon as she learned how her new bodypart worked, the controlling spell prevented Shield's clear killing intent from turning into desired movement.

Secret Seeker, bleeding from his mouth, groaning, and coughing, slowly gathered himself from the floor and smashed remains of shelves and glassware. Shield's mind worked overtime. The unicorn shook his head in confusion as her tail wrapped around his barrel and helped him get back on all fours.

"Sorry," she said sheepishly, "It's weird to control this thing."

"No... problem... just... need... healing... spell... or ten..." Seeker limped over to a shelf in the corner and drank a vial of red liquid. His breathing calmed down and his walk became steady again.

Shield decided to remember this situation very clearly in case Seeker wanted to give her a different enhancement at some point, because it was possible to confuse the control spell. She just needed one more opportunity, and she wouldn't hesitate anymore. Just one clear chance to kill Secret Seeker. But for that, she either needed to earn his trust a little more, or get once again into a position where her current shape wasn't sufficient.

"What now?" she asked.

"Drink this, try not to gag and spill it," the unicorn offered her a keg of some green goo.

"If you want me to have enough lung capacity to deepthroat your-"

"ENOUGH!" Seeker moaned in annoyance, "You don't need to breathe too much anyway. The potions I pumped into you every day took care of that. This is rare changeling ichor we recovered from the throne room after the invasion. With some experimental magical treatment it should result in an interesting enhancement."

"I'll be able to shapeshift?" Shield's eyes bulged.

"Of course not. I wouldn't want you to destroy the body I so painstakingly crafted anyway. It should give you the hardened armor plating around your barrel Chrysalis has. Now chug, I don't have all day to talk to you."

"Oh Celestia why?" Shield choked after the first huge gulp, "Why didn't you melt off my taste buds? That's because I called you a perv, isn't it?" the goop was disgusting on so overwhlemingly many levels.

"Yes," Seeker nodded, "I would have given you a bit more warning or time to recuperate if you were a little more polite."

"Aaand done!" Shield squished the metal keg against her forehead. Seeker's mouth dropped along with everything he was levitating, "What? I was in college. This is nothing compared to what we broke students used to drink to get wasted. One time, we actually made moonshine from our used socks. I couldn't see the whole weekend. The goop was just a bit shocking at first."

Seeker glared.

Pressure around her barrel made Shield turn her head and watch curiously as green goo got secreted through her skin and coat, coagulating into a bright green, segmented corset covering her belly and back.

"Green?" she complained, thinking about her brown coat and faded blonde mane. Dark purple would have looked so much better. As soon as she said that to herself, the colour changed to her desired one, "Now _that's_ what I call service."

Seeker _glared harder_.

"Anything else, maybe make my breasts like a minotaur's so you have something to grope while-"

"I'll kill you," Seeker growled.

"No, you won't," Shield smiled a wide, victorious smile. Her master was starting to shake with pure rage, "So... what now?"

"How about..." he whispered, "How about you _finally_ shut up and let me work? Or better yet, clean up the mess you made."

"Wasn't my ribcage that broke all the shelves," Shield turned away from Seeker, hiding a wicked grin as he let out a frustrated combination of a curse, moan, and wheeze. She could _sense_ his eye twitch. As her new tail wrapped around a broom and started sweeping the broken glass, she mumbled, "Master, master, master, master."

"I'LL STOP THAT ONE DAMN PROPERTY OF THE SPELL IF YOU KEEP DOING THAT!"

"Awww," Shield pouted as the pleasant lightning rushing through her crotch disappeared. She thought for a moment, "Got anything about unicorn telekinesis around? I'd like to know a way to at least stand even against the unicorn if we ever meet again."

A thrown tome smacked her hard in the face.

Black Shield _knew_ she shouldn't read it, that she should keep herself from becoming a more powerful accomplice to Secret Seeker. Deep down, though, a bit of hurt pride at being completely powerless surfaced. She justified opening the book to herself by wanting to become better to earn Seeker's trust and new enhancements allowing her to kill him within the first seconds of confusion. She told herself all that, but she knew that all she wanted was to kick the black and white mare's ass.

She quietly read to herself as the broom with her tail coiled around it kept sweeping.

"A difference between using telekinesis on living and unliving subjects is that morphogenic field of living creatures interferes with telekinesis, making it weaker. Thus, it is much more difficult to levitate a pony than a rock of the same weight. Same goes for telekinetic shapes. A mental spike which would pierce a rock might lose its edge when aimed at living being. Unicorns can fight against morphogenic field by honing their mental strength and..."

She flipped few pages.

"Contrary to popular belief of non-unicorns and even unicorns with low control, telekinesis is not manifested as a field around the target, but as a point of contact between the mind of the user and the subject. A good comparison can be made with a griffon holding a sword in their talons. In the same way, a unicorn can hold the sword by its blade, but lose agility they would have gained by telekinetically holding it by its handle..."

Yep, that was exactly what Shield needed.


	10. Hit Hard: Field trip

"It's Friday, Friiiday. Gonna get down on Friday," Contradiction hummed to herself on her way to Cromach's office. The weekend was upon her, and Astray hadn't messed up anything major throughout the day aside from passing out during morning run through Cross' personal gauntlet. Connie had instituted Cross' training course as a regular thing, much to Astray's pained wincing and Anvil's annoyed grumbling, but after Crom chewed her out last time she hadn't pushed the newbies too hard. Now, with Bubbles and Anvil out for an evening stroll through bright and bustling Manehattan and Astray still undergoing Antares' unarmed combat drills, Connie was free to do what she pleased and that thing was to drag her boss finally out for a drink.

Her hope evaporated as soon as a strained voice from the inside wearily called out:

"Can it wait until tomorrow?"

She opened without delay, only to see the white griffon staring with soul-crushing desperation at three binders filled with papers.

"Still planning the transfer of nobles?"

Cromach sighed, writing down a note, flipping a page, and wincing as a new dossier full of writing greeted him.

"Yeah. They're still paying full price, but it leaves some of our teams incomplete for final squad trainings and evaluations. We've built a solid reputation in a very short time about being able to compete and outmatch Royal Guard combat and physical training regime, but we can't risk it by lowering our standards, albeit only in one aspect and for several exceptions."

"It's still at least two months away, sir. Is it necessary to lose sleep over it here and now?"

"Connie, you should know best how difficult it is to adapt to new teammates. Two months of getting accustomed to one another might not be sufficient to get a team through a rough combat situation where they have to rely on being on the same page during every second of a dangerous event. Communication and debating about orders and plans isn't always possible. If I lose few weekends to make sure we keep the reputation of being if not the best than at least close, then it's worth it."

"I know," she frowned, "but... you've been burying yourself in work before and it didn't really push you towards doing things better, with all due respect. If you relax a little from time to time, you'll achieve better results in the long term."

"I find it funny it's _you_ telling me this," Cromach winked at her. He knew most ponies familiar with Connie firmly believed she had a steel rod firmly lodged up her butt. No one but Connie herself knew how close those beliefs really were.

"Yes, I know," she rolled her eyes, hating herself for what she was about to say instead of what she'd come here to say in the first place, "How about I take over for the weekend while you enjoy a well-deserved break?"

"I can't ask that of you," Cromach shook his head, white feathers rustling.

"You're not asking anything. I'm asking _you_ to take a breather."

"You sure about this?" Crom pointed at each binder, "You'd have to find the correct ponies to put together into new teams in order to replace the ones we're losing while keeping the cores of already estabilished teams so that they don't need complete retraining."

"Why not just remake the teams and start from scratch? Our guys are still excellent with weapons and can obey orders."

"Simply put, we don't have the time. We need to beat Royal Guard units with two or three years of working together... or at least not get trampled by them."

"I'll do my best- nope, I'll do it. You just go and do something fun on the weekend, come back refreshed on Monday, and stop denying that good rest is as important as hard training. Look, let me do this for you as a thank you for not pushing me when I went a little... a lot crazy."

"You sure you can do this? It's honestly just about going through bunch of little details and training histories of about forty ponies."

"Bunch of little details? Oh my, whatever shall I do about it?" Connie snarked but smiled, showing she wasn't really trying to be nasty, "You do realize I'm _way_ better at accounting than you are, right? Tons of little details are what I'm all about. Putting together well-balanced teams based on candidates with correct range of abilities should be a breeze. Might even help _me_ learn something about my group of undesirables."

"Alright," the white head of the Silver Sun gave up, "Just promise me _you_ don't go on a Red Buffalo-fueled binge and stay awake for forty-eight hours straight."

"Sure. You know me, I'm a balanced and well-adjusted, not to mention responsible, individual."

"That answer terrified me to my bones, Connie. But I believe you can do it. I'm not sure if I can, though. I've been neglecting my social life for a while now."

"You deserve a break, honestly. After Heavy Hoof's death followed by Blaze's, you've been doing way too much on your own," she kept hammering the point through her boss' skull, "Time to have some fun."

"Hmmm," Cromach scratched his beak, "Fun... perhaps a little practice with your newbies might be a pleasant way to relax," the griffon smiled suddenly, recalling a recent Manehattan Herald article about graves being robbed in Canterlot and some minor disappearances, "Some hooves-on experience for them."

"That's supposed to be relaxing?"

"Hunting a possible necromancer in the sewers of the capital city? It'll be like a field trip!"

"You have a strange sense of 'fun', sir. No offense."

"Look who's talking."

"Well at least I was suggesting going to some bar and enjoy some one night stand. Heck, until I saw you looking at the paperwork like a heroin addict at his only and empty syringe I thought the cheap floozy you swept off the bar stool would be me... with any luck."

"Again, unsettling."

"Again, years on the streets whorseing myself for food and anything else to make the days bearable," she gave Crom a smug smile, knowing he couldn't beat that one. On his end, Cromach decided not to mention being hunted by griffon Black Ops assassins, bounty hunters, and the entire Imperial army during his first escape to Equestria. Instead, he said:

"Right now, hunting an evil mage feels easier than picking up chicks, umm, mares in some club. Call it a professional deformation."

"Fiiine, just promise me that if anything goes wrong you just throw ash tray to the zombies and get out."

Cromach frowned.

"The poor satyr has enough on his plate even without a nickname like this."

"In my defense, Anvil came up with that one."

"Like with every other one..."

"What can I say? Girl's got talent," Connie raised her hooves, "Just kidding, just kidding."

"Riiight..."

"Hey, can I sit in your lap while you show me how you were doing the team stuff? Just so I don't have too much of a different idea than you."

"Only if you pull out your steel plug first. The handlebar on that thing left a deeper impression in my chair last time you were working here than on the recruits who notice you wearing it. Oh, and do it slowly and lick it afterwards."

Connie was about to burst in flames of blush and embarrassment. On the other hoof, he _did_ just say... that. Even though he likely didn't really mean it. She gathered herself marvelously fast.

"If- if that's your pick up line then I get why you're avoiding the club scene in favor of rotting zombies. Anyway, the thing is only a placeholder until you finally give in and plow me properly. A true lady must be ready at all times."

Now it was Crom's turn to go full tomato. On his completely white stature, the spreading red was easy to spot. Using his moment of uncertainty, she trotted behind the desk and jumped on his lap, easing into his broad chest. The griffon hesitated, unsure whether to push her off or what. He still considered Connie his student more than anything, and any idea about taking things further conjured a vivid image of a now dead bronze alicorn. Crom knew the absurdity of it all and his behaviour, but still... it felt like betrayal. However, in the end he just wrapped one foreleg around the smaller mare while the talons of his other one grasped his pen lying on the desk.

"So, the Royal Guard teams are usually composed of a front line fighter, at least one battlemage or a healer, and two auxiliary units, preferrably a pure wizard or some other long-range support..."

Connie listened intently despite her eyes closing and nostrils flaring under the comforting scent of soap, a little bit of sweat, and everything she knew or imagined about the griffon every part of her body wanted. She knew she could do the task on her own, but kept him talking in case she missed or misunderstood something. She didn't. She even came up with little improvements here and there her boss failed to realize. She indeed was better with the small details than he was, but she kept listening, nodding, and, when she had a spare second, spinning dirtier and dirtier fantasies. Sadly, all good things must come to an end, and this was no different.

"-and that's the core of it," Cromach finished, and Connie stretched her legs before jumping off of him. Crom sniffed the air, "Huh, this place smells weird all of a sudden. Familiar, though... hmmm..."

"Then get out and prep your field trip or whatever... uhh, sir!" she pointed at the office door with renewed vigor. Stupid, stupid, absolutely amazing pervy fantasies! Still, it must have been a while for a mare-magnet like Cromach to not conclude what the sweet-ish, spicy scent was.

"You _do_ realize this is still my office, right?" the griffon raised an eyebrow.

"You're relieved of command on the grounds of needed to either get wasted or waste some evildoer, civilian!"

"Unlike you, I actually DID serve in the real army, even if it was a griffon one, and this isn't how it work-" the door shut him out of the office as he was forcefully levitated outside.

The black and white unicorn sat down in the still warm chair, and her heterochromatic eyes crossed as she tried to look at three documents at once. Three binders filled to the brim with documents.

"Well buck me. Hopefully literally. Sadly likely only metaphorically," Contradiction sighed.

This was going to be a long weekend.

Later that night, dull knocking on the door of the recruits' room made Anvil raise her eyes from her history tome while Astray continued to froth quietly semi-conscious on the floor. Horrible, but not too loud, off-key singing dampened by sound of running water clearly conveyed the message that Bubbles the half-demonette was having the time of her life, as she so often seemingly did.

"Come in!" Anvil called out in mild surprise. None of her team were exactly overly social individuals, so visitors were usually limited only to those bringing new orders or some sort of briefing, and it was too late for either. Aside from Bubbles, the cheery mare having recieved three visits ever since the group started living in the mansion, all from normal recruits asking her to go out play with them. Anvil wasn't exactly interested in the idea of competitive games like hoofball, since they brought no obvious benefit to her and her current training was far more efficient at improving her physical shape, but Bubbles' unnatural stamina and energy allowed her to ignore effective resting the minotaur and all mundane beings needed.

The door opened, revealing a smiling white griffon entering the suite and looking around. His gaze lingered on groaning Astray trying to turn around in the manner of a beached whale and failing.

"Slacking off again, Astray?" Cromach chuckled, "Was there perhaps something to Connie's complaints about you?"

"S'ry, srr," the satyr mumbled with his face buried in the carpet. His arm twitched towards his head in an attempted and failed salute.

"Just kidding, Astray. Calm down."

"Hello!" Bubbles squeaked, peeking out of the bathroom, her elongated pony-like ears twitching under a wet, white towel.

"Good evening, Bubbles," Cromach waved at her, "Towel yourself off and come here for a second, will you?"

"On it, sir!" the rusty mare darted back inside the bathroom.

"What's going on, sir?" Anvil stood up, not saluting only to show her official boss that he came during her time off.

"Why do you think something's going on?" Cromach raised an eyebrow, still smiling.

"With all due respect, you've never visited us here for a casual reason, the main deal of our side of this Order is to fight unnatural threats, and for last few days the crazy black and white mare was running us ragged. Forgive me for being a little suspicious."

"Well, about that," Crom scratched his head, "I've got two things. One will have to wait until Bubbles is here so that I don't repeat myself, and the other one... ah screw it, let's just wait for both. It's nothing too serious, I assure you. So... what are you reading, Anvil?"

She turned the book's cover to the griffon.

"History? Wouldn't have pegged you for that."

"I get that a lot," the minotaur shrugged.

"First impression is often misleading. I apologize," Cromach gave her a courteous bow, "And about our new carpet...?" he looked down at Astray breathing slowly, unmoving.

"He can't keep this up for long," Anvil shook her head, "Your two changelings are leaving him like this every evening. If we ever get into a real fight all he's going to do is faint at the enemy. Can't you order him to just stick with normal training and-"

"Nnnnngh..." the satyr carpet moaned his refusal.

"I'm not going to," Cromach's talons patted Astray, "Trust me when I say I saw too many ponies go from coal to diamonds under pressure. I'm not going to forcibly try to stop it without enough knowledge about the situation. If you really believe this is hurting your unit, persuade Connie to file an official request for me. I know her well enough to trust her judgement. Maybe you should believe in this guy a little more as well."

"Look, I've been giving him massages every evening before he decided to do this to keep him somewhat functional, but this is pointless."

"So you stopped?"

"Yes."

"Stopped helping your teammate who is just trying to become a useful asset to protect you and others?"

"The way he's trying to do it is stupid and will only hurt us in the long run!" Anvil raised her voice a little.

"Nnnnnnuh..."

"Anvil," Cromach sighed, "In the same way I'm not going to order Astray do stop it, I'm not going to order you to start helping him again. On the other talon, the autonomy I'm leaving you with is there for a reason. I can't think of every situation that can arise and prepare you for it. You should get to know each other well enough to know what is best and what isn't."

Anvil glared defiantly but didn't say anything.

"All done!" the bathroom door flew open, revealing Bubbles with hastily tied towel around her neck like a bib and globs of shampoo still in her tail.

"You just couldn't wait, could you?" Anvil facepalmed.

"Nope!" Bubbles beamed. Nopony could stay annoyed in the face of the shark-like smile. Terrified, but not angry.

"Alright, Astray, you awake?" Cromach sat down onto Bubbles' bunk and Anvil sat down on her own while meaningfully crossing her legs on Astray's back. Then she pushed him over and propped her hooves on his bruised stomach.

"Owwwww..."

"Yeah, he's fine," Anvil shrugged. Cromach rolled his eyes, suddenly becoming much more understanding of Connie's recent outbursts.

"Alright, as I said - two things," the griffon raised a talon, "First, since we'll be losing several recruits soon, you can choose to either keep living in this suite or each get a new, albeit smaller, room of your own. You don't have to choose now."

"Together!" Bubbles jumped at Astray's belly already occupied by Anvil's legs, making the satyr's eyes bulge and forcing a violent cough. The minotaur simply spread her legs, putting one hoof on Astray's chest and pushing him back down while Bubbles curled down on the thrashing satyr and licked his nose.

Astray looked at Anvil questioningly.

"It would give me more time to read," she said thoughtfully. Astray closed his eyes, "but I can't have this idiot passing out every evening sleeping on the floor. If I don't shove him up there," her eyes darted to the bunk above hers, "then who will? He, himself, all of a sudden? Don't make me laugh."

To demonstrate, she withdrew her legs, stood up, picked up both the satyr and Bubbles hanging onto him with her four legs, and shoved the both on the top bunk.

"So yeah," she continued, "until he clearly proves too stupid to be useful then I'll keep kicking him in the right direction from time to time."

"Excellent," Cromach allowed himself a smug smile. Deciphering griffon expressions was difficult at best due to the beak, but his happily narrowed eyes were enough of a hint, "As for the second thing... who's up for a field trip to Canterlot?"

Bubbles' ears perked up on the bed, even Astray pushed himself up on his elbows, and Anvil just tilted her head.

"Field... trip?" she repeated, completely taken aback, "Like a museum thing? T-that doesn't sound bad at all."

"Wooooo! I've never been outside of the tower before, only when the guardponies chained me and took me to the white princess," Bubbles, well, bubbled, "then they put a cloak on me and sent me here. Let me tell you, you can't see much in the cowl. I'm not gonna have to wear a cowl again, do I?"

"Definitely not," Cromach covered his beak, smiling at the half-demon talking like a machine gun.

"WOHOOOOOO! CANTERLOT!" Bubbles hugged Astray who was the only one looking distraught and uncertain more than anything.

"Sir, can I pass?" he asked, softly pushing Bubbles away.

"Oh?" Cromach raised an eyebrow. The body language worked like a charm, making Astray look away as he thought about his answer.

"I... while I would like to see more of Canterlot than the lower city and mountainside one day, I don't think me slacking off from my training now would be a good idea. I can barely keep up with the others and if I can spend my time properly now so that I can have more free time in the future, I'd like to do that instead. Sorry, everyone, have a nice trip. Maybe I'll be less of a burden when you come back."

Cromach's grin grew further.

"I believe I've got that covered," the griffon rose on his hind legs and patted Astray's shoulder on the top bunk, "The trip I have in mind isn't to a museum, no matter how crushed miss Anvil might be by the information," he snorted in laughter as the minotaur huffed, "We're going hunting for evil."

"WHAT?" Anvil shouted. The others were in similar states of shock of various intensity.

"You see, over the past few months, both Canterlot and Manehattan suffered a severe wave of graverobbing. That, coupled with recent Royal Guard reports and newspaper articles about ponies gone missing in Canterlot leads me to believe there is a necromancer deep in Canterlot sewer system responsible for at least part of it. The guards have not been able to find the culprit, but we might."

To everyone's surprise, it was Bubbles who quietly whimpered, but the despair in the sound was palpable.

"What's wrong?" Astray patted her neck.

"Umm... sewers smell bad, right?"

"It's not so terrible when you get used to it, but the first shock is the worst," Cromach nodded.

"I'm not sure if I can handle it. I mean, during the team fight I almost got knocked out by the earthpony smell potion. I just don't know if I could even help..."

Seeing Bubbles so unsure was a blow to everyone but Cromach, who just waved his foreleg.

"Don't worry about it. We'll be taking all usual environmental equipment which means enchanted bandannas blocking the worst of the stench and actually smelling of... hmm, if I remember correctly you can pick from mint, apples, and sea breeze. It's standard issue equipment. We'll all have one plus a spare."

"Really? I can come with you and help?" Bubbles cheered up instantly.

"Of course. I heard you have a pretty good nose, but these things are made to keep _diamond dogs_ from keeling over from the weakest scent grenade."

"Yessssss!" Bubbles bounced on Astray who in turn made the top bunk mattress and bed frame creak.

"I'm still not sure about this," Astray mumbled, "I think I should just stay here and train so you don't have to go out of your way to save me or something during the mission."

"Think of this as a chance to get some hooves-on, erm, hands-on experience with environmental hazards, dark magic, and exploration of enemy territory. To be completely honest, I don't know if we'll actually find something or not, but I have a little clue Royal Guards don't, so we'll check that first. It's quite possible we'll just spent an hour or two in the suspicious part of the sewers, take the nearest ladder out, have a shower at the hotel, and enjoy Sunday off anyway. But if we _do_ find something, we might prevent more ponies from... going missing, avenge those already gone, and you'll have a cool story for Antares and Cross. They dig this stuff, especially since they spend most of their time around here these days. I'll sort it out with them myself if you're worried about telling them."

"Thank you, sir," Astray let out a relieved breath.

"So, everyone on board?" Crom looked around.

"Where, when, and is Contradiction coming?" Anvil asked.

"I hope not, otherwise she'd make a mess in my office," the griffon chuckled, much to at first confused and then disbelieving, or in one case not understanding, stares of the others, " No, she isn't going with us. Tomorrow, let's say at noon so you have plenty of time to rest up and get ready. We don't need sunlight where we're going, and trains to Canterlot leave every two hours. So, just the four of us."

"Yes, sir," Anvil closed her book she'd left open on her bedside table, "As a temporary leader I'm ordering both of you to go to sleep at once."

"What made you the leader?" Astray asked. He didn't really mind, already having difficult time staying awake, but he was just curious.

"The fact that I can beat the snot out of you with both arms tied behind my back, hopping on one leg, and blindfolded."

"Woooow, I wanna see that!" Bubbles' eyes went wide like a filly's who was told a bonus Hearth's Warming was coming tomorrow.

"BED, you little devil!" Anvil barked, making Bubbles dig herself under Astray's blanket.

"Good night, and don't let necromancers kill you and resurrect you as zombies... or the bed bugs bite, both are good," Cromach turned away from the spectacle of Anvil taking off the grossly undersized standard-issue white linen pants she sometimes wore after sundown when it wasn't too hot.


	11. Hit Hard: Field trip II

It was halfway through the train ride to Canterlot. Cromach had spent so much time on the standard shuttle during the first months of the rebuilding of the Order that all he needed was a single glance out of the window at any point to know exactly what part of Equestria they were passing through. Anvil and Bubbles were sitting in the coupe as well, but on the other end of the windowside table, both concentrating on the cards in their hands or claws. Astray refused to play cards with the others, thankful for each moment he could spend by resting, sleeping, or at least passed out. Cromach had secured a coupe for just the four of them, meaning the satyr could simply lie down on the floor, legs stretched, and listen to Anvil's grumbling whenever the minotaur lost yet another round... which was happening a lot. She had been ordered to wear something less revealing than, well nothing, settling on a white, clean shirt and cloth leggings leaving absolutely nothing to the imagination. Both Anvil's top and pants were unbuttoned, but each was still digging into her muscular form. She would really have to order some custom clothing eventually, but for this unannounced expedition the standard satyr fare hastily re-tailored to fit her had to suffice.

As they passed through a darker stretch of the forest, Cromach glanced at the window reflecting the cards in Anvil's hand. He looked at his own set, put them on the table, and declared:

"Read 'em and weep!"

"Oh go eat a manticore dick!" Anvil's fist thumped the table, as she had done over and over and over throughout the whole ride, "Sir."

"I've got all the mares with crowns and some stallions," Bubbles showed the cards she'd been hoarding, "Is that good?"

Cromach snickered. His attempts at teaching Bubbles the basics of poker fell flat on their face, as the mare picked the cards she liked the look of. In this particular instance, though, she actually managed to put together a hand that would beat even Anvil's. The minotaur noticed, of course, and moaned in despair. They weren't playing for money or anything, otherwise Crom wouldn't have cheated through the reflection whenever he could. It was just too easy and precious to make Anvil boil so hard steam almost came out of her ears. Bubbles, on the other talon, enjoyed the game just like any other, although her objective was to eventually see all cards in the deck pass through her claws.

Astray rolled over, wincing in pain. The metal floor wasn't a problem for him, he'd slept in _way_ worse conditions, but the bruises all over his body left over from being tripped, punched, kicked, or thrown by Antares repeatedly made themselves known whenever he spent too much time in one position. He wasn't following the game too much, knowing only the barest basics of poker, but he'd spent enough time with long-distance caravans to notice the tells of ponies. In short, he'd known Cromach was cheating since game three but hadn't said anything. That would spoil the fun. The more interesting thing for him was that Anvil was actually pretty decent for not having ever played the game before.

He sighed, rolling over more carefully again to appease his protesting ribs.

His admiration for the unfriendly minotaur was growing steadily. She focused on something, and she did it after several tries. He'd hoped she would thaw eventually even a little, perhaps yesterday after what Cromach had said, but ever since he'd decided to accept training from grandmaster Antares she'd spoken to him only during training when it was necessary or when she made a derogatory remark. Astray knew he was the problem, and that he would likely remain that way, but he'd hoped for at least _some_ encouragement when he'd stopped passing out every evening and was able to at least take a shower before collapsing. What wasn't helping was the fact that he knew Cromach had been right. If only Anvil kept giving him the evening massages he would be in much better shape every day. All in all, he was confused, slightly angry, but most of all sad that after he'd started believing he was beginning to earn some worth his decision to overtrain took it all away.

Groaning again as lying on his stomach proved yet again to be a bad idea, Astray had to stand up.

"I'm gonna go for a walk," he said, opening the door leading from the coupe to the train car hallway, "Lying down is killing me."

"Hey, wait up!" Bubbles raised her voice, smiling at the satyr and folding her cards, "I'm coming too. I think I've seen all the pretty pictures that are in the deck."

Jumping down from the long, padded bench serving as the coupe seats, the rusty mare trotted outside. Cromach looked at Anvil.

"You going with them for some fresh air?" he asked as the duo left.

"I'm not squeezing myself through your tiny pony train just because one idiot isn't learning his lesson. Besides, it's not like anything I can say's going to help. He already knows my thoughts on what he's doing."

"So, you're certain you're on the right side here?"

"Definitely. He can't do it."

"Just like you can't win against me in cards."

"We'll see about that!"

Cromach tapped at the window, making Anvil look just as they passed another patch of trees. He wiggled the cards in his talons meaningfully. Anvil blinked in confusion, then narrowed her eyes, and in the end she gasped, pointing at Crom.

"YOU CHEATED!"

"From the start. Every game. See how easy it is to be wrong about something when you don't know all the facts?"

"I know what you're trying to do and it's not going to work. I _am_ right."

"Wanna bet your bits?" Cromach nudged the cards with his talons.

"No cheating this time?"

"I solemnly swear," Crom drew the window curtains, "but you know. Proof is more than words."

"You're on. Deal! One bit bets first, don't want to bankrupt your little Order," Anvil grinned. She was sure she would lose more money than gain, but she learned fast.

Outside, Astray reached to open the door leading to another train car when Bubbles asked what he'd been thinking about since Cromach's visit yesterday:

"Why is Anvil mad at you? Can I help? Whenever we're training she or miss Connie just bark orders while you say nothing. I miss your bickering, it was funny and lively. Now she's all like - you're an idiot, and you say - you're right. I could almost believe she doesn't like you."

Astray sighed.

"Bubbly, she _doesn't_ like me. To be frank, she _despises_ me," he said, shrugging, "and she's probably right to do so. I'm not really worth her time the way I'm now, and the way I'm trying to remedy that is just making it worse... I think. And I'm sorry if I haven't been playing with you that much past few days. I'll get back to it once I stop passing out in the shower."

"I like you. You're really nice. I mean, to me... not to yourself," her pink eyes locked with his. Astray looked away, sliding a nearby window open and taking a breath of fresh air. The loud whistling of wind outside gave him a moment to think.

"Bubbles, they don't need me to be nice. Nopony needs me the way I am. They need me to be strong, hard, responsible."

"I like you the way you are!" Bubbles objected loudly, making Astray look down at her in surprise, "Well, most of the way you are. I like when we play, chill, or when you read to me."

"The only thing I ever read to you was the list of ingredients in my yoghurt,"

"Yeah! All those E six six three, lactose and suckerose things sounded really weird and funny," she said. Astray recalled saying that reading the list was akin to trying to decipher alphabet soup, "When Anvil read to me she got mad I called Pegasopolis a Pogo-stick-police."

Astray snorted, then burst out laughing at the image of pegasi bouncing up and down on pogo sticks made of clouds. Eventually he stopped and wiped his forehead.

"Bubbles, you know I enjoy spending time with you or even with Anvil, sort of. The thing is that we're meant to protect ponies from evil, powerful evil that doesn't wait or sleep. The time I can spend by 'just chilling' should be minimal until I'm at least marginally useful."

"Even my mom had days when she couldn't experiment anymore, like when the lab was full of mercury fumes or when she spent all her magic fighting some creature she summoned by accident. Whenever that happened she always said that playing with me helped her rest and recover faster. I liked when she did that, it was so much better than when she told me to help ponies sleep to tire myself out. I mean, that wasn't bad too when she didn't give them the silver whip, but I liked spending time with her."

Astray didn't have the heart to tell Bubbles that her mother was obviously just some abusive unicorn wizard who used her daughter to earn money for more probably illegal experiments. Instead, as usual, he tried to shift blame for everything onto himself.

"Look, Bubbles, I know proper rest is important. I just don't think I'm doing enough to burn out anytime soon. Just think about what you or Anvil can do. I'm not even a fraction as good as you are, and I have to work hard to be able to protect the two of you, or at least take more than one blow in your stead."

Bubbles shifted her forelegs nervously. She didn't like what she was hearing, but she wasn't good with words enough to change that. She brightened up. Everypony liked petting or hugging her after all!

"Can you just play with me at least every other day? We'll do something simple like fetch so you don't even have to move much," she caught his hesitant look, "Or just cuddle with me as a pillow. You always sleep better when I'm next to you."

"Cuddle? I mean that's not just a friend thing-"

"Look, every time I see you passed out on the carpet it gets harder to breathe. The longer you lie there the more it hurts. I want to yell at Anvil to put you to bed but I don't like being nasty to her. She's kinda nice to everypony but you. Even when she throws stuff at the guys whistling at her she's smiling. All I can do is hug you but that's not enough."

Kneeling, Astray hugged the mare on the verge of tears. She obviously liked him as a good friend. Astray knew it was only because he was one of the first being who considered her more than a toy, pest, or a pet. Heck, if the standard recruits knew Bubbles a little better she would have a bunch of friends much better than he was already.

"Come on, you can hop into my bunk whenever you feel like it. Heck, I don't even have to be there," he scratched her behind the ears, "I-"

Astray yawned, blinking in surprise. Was this perhaps a good time for an hour or two of sleep? Was he finally tired enough again for his wounds to fail at waking him up with each movement?

Bubbles, evidently brightening up after his words, licked his face.

"I think I've had all the fresh air I needed," Astray yawned again, "Let's head back before Anvil throws our boss out of the window when she realizes he's cheating."

"Ooooh, sir Cromach is crafty," Bubbles trotted alongside Astray back to the coupe.

When they arrived, Cromach was nowhere to be seen and Anvil looked up from some smaller book she was reading with her legs crossed, taking a large part of the bench.

"The window looks fine," Bubbles peeked inside, "I'll go find the boss!"

Aaand she was gone. Chuckling at the rusty blur looking through the door window into each coupe while rushing down the hallway, Astray walked back inside and closed the door behind him. The sounds of the train immediately lost a lot of their volume. As he sat down, wincing again at the muscle of his inner thigh pressing against a bruise from the inside, Astray heard a deep intake of breath from Anvil. The minotaur put the book she was reading down. It wasn't her borrowed history tome, but something colourful in paperback.

"Still sore?" she asked, sounding distant and cold.

"Just a little," Astray lied, poorly. The battered state of his body was clear to everyone. He gave Anvil a nervous chuckle, "Heh, doesn't matter anyway, right? What's going to change if I'm little out of it considering how insignificant my contribution can be compared to yours, Bubbles', or sir Cromach's. I'm in good enough shape to take a blow for either of you, which is all you need from me, all I'm good for."

Yet another deep breath, yet another sigh from the minotaur.

"Stand up and strip!" she said sharply, "You don't know the first thing about physiology, so don't go around telling me what you can or can't do."

"How about no?" Astray stared her down, well, up, "You can't keep telling me what to do! It's a coincidence we both think the same about what I'm good for, but you've been clear about not giving a damn about what I'm doing so the same goes from me to YOOOUUUUEEEEEEAAAAAUGHWWW!" he screamed in pain as she squeezed his shoulder so hard burning spikes of undiluted agony ran through his entire body. Seeing red and barely in control of his breathing, he heard Anvil's distorted voice through the hammering of blood in his ears.

"I wasn't asking," the minotaur's voice was downright frosty now. Her next words were calm and analytical, though, "You've been hunched forward since yesterday as if you had a hump on your back. Dislocated shoulder, maybe? Some unicorn medic must have set it back wrong. The guys know pony's skeleton through and through, but bipeds like us have slightly different joints. It must have been stiff and painful to move your arm, but you didn't tell anypony, am I right? You thought your body was just wrong or something, am I right? You didn't want to make a fuss not to appear weak, am I right?" she growled, "Well, you screwed that up royally, idiot. What if it became a problem mid-fight? Was _that_ the bullshit about just being there to take a blow?" her raised voice made Astray lurch backwards, hissing as her hand refused to let his badly healed shoulder go, "Don't you dare try to run away again!"

"He was a good unicorn healer, I thought it was just some thing that would go away with time. I didn't want to whine about it like you said before... not complain and just take it, push through, and emerge stronger."

The expression on her face grew unreadable, or possibly so conflicted that not even she could know what emotion would win in the next second. She indeed had said something along those lines, but the weakling in front of her took it too literally. It was his fault for being stupid, right? It had to be.

Maybe...

"Sit still," she ordered, squeezing his shoulder firmly but carefully this time, "Now, this is going to sting a bit. You are way smaller than I am, but I think I can fix this properly. Three, two, one..."

Snap!

Astray's overloaded senses could take it no more, and his world shut down.

Pain from his inner thigh woke him up, but it wasn't crippling. Warmth surged over the spot until it turned to mere discomfort, then the warmth moved lower. As his brain restarted completely, Astray identified the warmth as big fingers digging deep into his legs. He was lying on his stomach on the floor, buck naked, while Anvil's familiar technique worked his legs.

"I thought you weren't going to do this anymore," Astray mumbled, turning his head.

"You can waste your time in whatever way you want when you're pretending to be training," she dragged her knuckles across his other thigh, "but you're not getting me killed by accident on a real mission. If this helps you stand upright a little longer in fight then it's worth my time."

"Sorry, I didn't think of it that way..."

"Yeah, you damn well should be apologizing for this," she stopped, running her hand softly on his hindquarters. She couldn't help noticing how much more pronounced and rounder the muscles were since the last time. Experimentally, she applied a little more force and reveled in the response as flesh much harder than she remembered gave in way less than expected. Her focused massage turned to squeezing and groping that particular area before she gathered herself minutes later and coughed, "Hmph! Seems that at least the changelings know what they're doing. You're definitely a tiny bit less skinny, rounding up in the right plces. Heh, now you maybe could give a newborn minotaur a run for his money."

As she finally moved her hands upwards on his lower back, Astray noticed a faint scent... something similar when Contradiction had first left her room after the unfortunate ceremony. Among sweat, stale socks, and general slobbery, this scent had been there as well. He shook his head, probably some slightly fruity and spicy soap or something. It smelled nice in a way, strange but nice.

Anvil noticed the satyr's sniffing, then her expression froze.

"I'll be right back," she jumped up, slammed the sliding door open, and rushed towards the back of the train car where the toilets were. Several minutes of Astray blissfully falling asleep again later, she returned in a much more composed manner, "Nature called, ehm."

Astray just shrugged, moaning softly when Anvil's hands melted the tension in his back and shoulders away.

"What was the book you were reading?" Astray, eyes closed and on his back now, asked, "It didn't look like the history one you've been going through every evening."

"The asshat librarian didn't allow me to take it away from the mansion. It's apparently some copy of a rare, unabridged tome from Canterlot castle archives. The only one I could get my hands on in a hurry was what Bubbles borrowed from one of the normals."

"Bubbles reads?" Astray blinked. He'd somehow missed that aspect of the half-demonette's passtime.

"More than you do," Anvil finished pressing various points around Astray's fetlocks and underhooves, standing back up with cracking of bones, "All done."

As she stretched and sat back down on the bench, Astray managed to get upright as well, taking several cautious steps around the coupe to discover he was feeling quite good. Exhausted and aching, but not passing out in spikes of pain. He walked over to the table, giving Anvil's reading material once over. Shocked and dopey grin crawled on his face.

"Power Ponies and Demolishing Doctor Doomsday?" he asked in utter disbelief.

"It was the _only_ thing she had around..." Anvil mumbled, looking away through the window, "It's not... completely terrible."

"You like books, don't you? Every time you're not training, eating, or sleeping you are reading."

"And yet _that_ doesn't stop anypony from believing I'm just a dumb pile of muscle who is barely smart enough to know which end of a warhammer's supposed to go through their skull," she huffed, narrowing her eyes and staring defiantly at Astray. The satyr sat down next to her, rubbing his hands and looking at the floor.

"I'm sorry."

"You always are."

"Look, I know we all make fun of you sometimes for the minotaur stereotype. The thing is that we don't mean it, at least not completely. I definitely don't, and I doubt Cross and Antares did. To me they feel like the kind of changelings who make fun of everything they can because the saw horrors nopony can imagine and know how precious laughter is. If they didn't think you were worth working with they wouldn't do it. Heck, you are smarter than I am. You read a bunch, mostly something that would make me chew my leg off out of boredom. You know history, physiology, geography. You've been around a lot and, I know I'm not an expert on minotaurs so I might be wrong and I'm not going to ask directly because it's rude, you look still young, kind of. Nopony can call you stupid and mean it... but you must admit you've got some... self-control issues. You're a bit too... sure about everything you do or say. It's not the end of the world to be _wrong_."

Anvil stared at him with a mix of confusion, thoughtfulness, and annoyance.

"Hmph, wrong..." is all she said at first, and then added, "I believe my experience until proven otherwise. It is you who should be much firmer, and your entire weird pony culture should focus more on being honest and straight instead of saying things you don't mean, even as a joke," she looked outside again, "And I'm twenty-nine, weakling."

"Friendly humor is a way of bonding. Look, I know it doesn't mean much from me but I like you even if you think I'm less than a worm. You're right, in a way, but that's not important. Bubbles likes you as well. She definitely wasn't the reading type when we first met two weeks ago and if she's trying to become smarter then it's because of you. Miss Contradiction respects you despite not showing it much. You were the only one whose judgement she even bothered to consider during the squad training. The normal recruits like you as well."

"Guess what the normals like about me..." she frowned, opening her tight shirt to give Astray a clearer view of her expansive, by pony and satyr standards, cleavage. Then her hand slid lower to the unbuttoned pants the open V of which ended an inch above her crotch, "I'm an attraction to them, that's all. Not that I mind. Little wimps should admire a real body even if it's way out of their reach. No offense, but your mares just don't offer the right mix of curves and steel muscle like the frozen north builds in us."

"Come on, that's not true, the attraction part, I mean," Astray dared to take her hand into his with utmost hesitation, "You've already shown you are much more than the 'I no know what shower be for!' braindead lump of meat. And I've seen you smile when they whistle at you. You are sure of yourself, a little too prideful, quick to anger, but you care... and aren't like most mares... a," his voice faded away.

Anvil heard the almost imperceptible whisper, though. _'Heartless bitch'_ was what the satyr breathed out. She recalled his first outburst when he inadvertently let out some of his past experiences.

Astray shook his head.

"How are things among the minotaurs anyway? You said our culture was weird with what we say."

"We mean what we say," she shot the question down, "and I meant what I said when you started your pointless overtraining. So, when are you quitting in order to focus on something properly?"

"I'm not quitting," he sighed, "If there's something I'm sure about it's that I need to do a lot more to be a real part of the team. Besides, well rounded experience -in my case being beaten up by a vast assortment of implements- can't hurt. Metaphorically, because literally it hurts like all hells."

"It's your funeral," Anvil shrugged, "Hopefully it won't be mine as well. Now get dressed, getting cold right after a massage is a sure way to ruin my efforts."

"Oh," Astray blushed suddenly. He hadn't realized he was still completely naked, "Uhh, right, right."

Bending over to get his brown pants and shirt still strewn on the floor, he wasn't in the position to notice Anvil's eyes locked on him. He _did_ notice, however, when she kept staring even after he turned back.

"Is anything wrong?"

"Hmm?" she blinked, as if lost in thought, "No, no, just checking if I didn't miss a bruise or some little thing."

"And?"

"Of course I didn't," she gave him a smug grin, "I know what I'm doing."

"Whoah," Astray shivered. He hadn't realized how cold he was after the massage. Relaxed muscles and slowed down flow of blood hit him like a frozen hammer, "Is there a draft or something?" he rubbed his hands together quickly.

"Hairless hybrid," Anvil rolled her eyes, "One good blizzard up home would make a meat popsicle out of you. Come here!"

"Huh?" Astray looked at her waving at him to sit next to her again. He rolled up the cloth serving as his blanket from the floor and answered the invitation, "I'll just wrap this around me. It's a bit dirty but whatever..."

"Use your brain and stretch your legs on the bench. I'll be damned if I let you keel over and fall asleep on the floor again. You'll be so stiff the only way you'll be useful in a fight will be as a club."

Astray obliged, propping his back against Anvil's shoulder. A second later she shifted uncomfortably, and wrapped her arm around his chest, making him slip backwards on something far softer. The comforting warmth, Anvil's coat tickling his chin, and the rocking of train joined together to finally allow the satyr a restful, refreshing sleep.

[ATTENTION ALL PASSENGERS! THIS TRAIN WILL BE ARRIVING AT UPPER CANTERLOT TRAIN STATION IN TEN MINUTES.]

"Mmmph?" Astray twitched as the loud announcer's voice coming from the reproductor above the coupe door got through to him even in his deep sleep. An attempt to swing his legs down from the bench he was lying on proved unsuccessful due to something heavy weighing him down. The second attempt at gradually regaining consciousness by sitting upright ended with his face hitting something soft and squishy. After lying back down on a much firmer surface but with similar warmth, the satyr finally woke up enough for his brain to decide that opening his eyes would be the best course of action.

Looking down at him from above two round globes barely covered by white shirt was Anvil's waiting face. That meant he was lying in her lap, and that the soft flesh he'd gotten a faceful seconds ago was her bossom. He blushed, and looked at his legs. Bubbles, yawning after being stirred from her sleep by Astray's movements, was giving him a mouthful of spiky death while still draped over his lower body. She smiled at him, rolling over and slamming on the floor with a 'thump!'.

"I'mokay!" she stood back up again instantly, shaking her head.

"Quite the lady magnet, aren't you, Astray?" an amused voice of Cromach commented, the griffon recieving a fiery glare from Anvil and covering a mischievous smile growing on his beak.

"Yeah, I like him!" Bubbles exclaimed, "Like help-with-sleeping like like."

"That's a whooooole lot of likes," Cromach raised an eyebrow, looking at Anvil and Astray, "Help with sleeping?"

Astray, blushing even harder, buried his face into the nearest surface facing away from the griffon, which was Anvil's sixpack. The minotaur didn't notice, though, having suddenly become intently interested in something outside the window, warmth creeping up her muzzle as well. As the train ran into the final tunnel before the station, the lights automatically turning on inside the coupe allowed her to see her face in the darkened glass. The frowning reflection in the temporary mirror surprised even her. By no means anything that had just been said should be bothering her, but...

...for some reason it annoyed her.

She shook her head, leaving her reflection behind as the train left the tunnel, daylight poured in, lights shut down, and the window became just a window again.

"You gonna keep slobbering all over my thighs or what?" she looked down at Astray again who hastily wiped his mouth, discovering a dried string of drool running down his cheek. Had he been doing that since he'd fallen asleep? Why didn't Anvil wake him up? She probably just wanted him to rest up so he wasn't a total waste of space later.

And damn, did he need it!

He felt much better when packing his blanket back into his bag, much less sore all over at least. He had no idea when Cromach and Bubbles had returned to the coupe, but he was grateful they let him sleep. When everyone was finally ready, the train was already beginning to slow down at the station in upper Canterlot.

"Now, who knows their way around Canterlot?" Cromach asked after they pushed through the crowd of ponies leaving the train, and found a place on the platform devoid of milling visitors.

One hand rose up. Astray's.

"Really?" Cromach asked, digging in his saddlebag before pulling out a three pieces of paper, "I thought you all came to Manehattan from here."

Anvil shrugged.

"Locked in a tower somewhere," Bubbles beamed.

"Well then," the griffon gave every recruit one of the papers. Each contained the name 'Ambassador Cromach' and an address, "This is the address of a hotel where I've booked a suite for tonight. You can drop the things you don't think you'll need down in the sewers there. Astray will guide you through the city while I have to talk about our job here with few Royal Guards. They should spare several members to guard the perimeter in case we have to flee quickly or some of us are wounded. They will be waiting out on the streets by the closest sewer entrances. I'll tell you the details later, now go to the hotel and I'll meet you there when I'm done."

"Yes, sir!" the trio saluted.


	12. Hit Hard: Field Trip III

The steel hatch closed above the four of them after Bubbles, as the last one, jumped down into the sewers instead of using the ladder like the others. She was hoping getting used to the smell would be like ripping off a bandaid, easier if done in one go. It wasn't.

With daylight being blocked off completely by a Royal Guard shutting them in, Bubbles just sat down on the concrete walkway while making quiet 'hurk!' noises as she fought the nausea.

"Yeah, maybe it would have been a better idea to use the bandannas outside," Cromach's voice pierced the pitch darkness, "Now, one... two... three..."

Soft blue glow gradually appeared from a crystal hanging around the griffon's neck. It wasn't a torchlight, but it was at least something.

"Just rub them," Cromach pointed to the same necklaces around the necks of everyone. Two more of the magical light sources chased away the darkness, "Bubbles?"

"Bluh-" the mare made an uneasy noise, "Hrrrgg..."

Cromach walked over, pulling a dark green bandanna and wrapping it around Bubble's muzzle, tying it behind her neck. The piece of cloth was enchanted to allow breathing, talking, and block the worst of the smell.

"Haaaah! Haaaaah!" she started taking huge lungfuls of air, rubbing her crystal to create the final source of light, "Thank... you... sir..."

"I was hoping you wouldn't take it _that_ bad. Now give me yours."

"Mhm," she pulled her protective equipment out of her saddlebag and presented it to the griffon who had given her his one. Several seconds later, everyone was suited up and looking around.

"And the last thing -yes I do realize I should have told you all this _before_ we went down, but hey, call it a practical experience- are these!" he pulled out a pencil-sized, black metal stick with glass tip, pushed the button on the other end, and the stick's bright light illuminated a huge chunk of the tunnel ahead. It was a very compact but powerful flashlight, "Since we don't have a mage with us and lasting magical equipment is kinda expensive, I decided to use some experimental Black Ops equipment I was sent from the Griffon Empire for testing. These are simple flashlights, but on smaller scale and more powerful with special bulbs which aren't supposed to blind you accidentally. We'll see how the batteries hold as well. That being said, if we meet something unsavory, just push the button quickly three times and it'll turn to an extremely focused spotlight. They call it laser or something. It's not damaging, but you'll pretty much blind anyone you point it at. Likely permanently, so be careful."

In the hotel, Cromach had simply given them three bags of what looked like trinkets with the words 'I will explain on the way'. Unfortunately, he'd spent most of the time studying a particular scroll and only now had the time to show them what everything did. The bandannas, the crystal necklaces, the flashlights.

"Sir, all the Royal Guards," Anvil nodded to the closed hatch, "Why aren't they down here searching with us?"

Cromach, pointing his flashlight at his scroll, rolled it back up and put it into a steel tubular case. He waved at them to follow him, and started walking down the now brightly illuminated tunnel. The sewers were simple - tunnels with two concrete walkways, about three-ponies wide, on each side with the sewage flowing inbetween. Anvil thought she might, with some luck, jump over to the other side if necessary, but the river of mess was too disgusting to test it out without a real reason.

"The guards don't have much information to go on. They know where the janitors and sewer maintenance technicians got lost, but the complex spans the whole city and whatever or whoever got them can be anywhere. On top of that, the tunnels are connected with old mining shafts inside Canterlot mountain and that complex is even more expansive. It is even completely possible that the graverobbers and the missing ponies are completely unrelated, and that the janitors just took a wrong step somewhere, drowned in the sewage, and their bodies floated to the lower Canterlot sewers which is why they haven't been found."

"Okay, so they've been investigating these disappearances for days, weeks, and they haven't found nothing. How are _we_ supposed to be more successful?" Anvil asked. Normally, she would go with her usual sarcasm, but she believed the griffon wouldn't have asked them to come on a completely blind chase. If he had, her opinion of him would drop drastically.

"Well, having contacts within the castle is a good idea when you need to sift through all documents without authorization," he grinned, waving his scroll case meaningfully, "I did some digging and discovered that there is a small complex of mine tunnels supposedly walled off from the section of the sewers where all the disappearances happened. The mine operations and the reason for their stopping is a secret, sort of. If Connie were here, she would have explained it better."

"Umm, what did the miners wake up?" Astray asked carefully.

"It's not like that, but close," Cromach answered approvingly, "If you really want to know, ask Connie when we get back. She heard _them_."

"You know, I'm not much of a reader but back in the Crystal Empire orphanage they sometimes showed us a horror movie. Whenever somepony said something like 'them' or 'beyond the veil' in it, it was time to write off the hindmost member of the exploring group."

Everypony looked at Bubbles, trailing in the back behind Astray, who gulped and pointed her spotlight into the dark tunnel behind her. Nothing but squelching sewage.

"Think of it like this," Cromach turned forward, leading the group again through the complex, "I have no doubt you've been told what happened to me and Connie in Canterlot. The ones who stole certain magical items from the ceremony were a necromancer and his undead servant. These items -rings, to be precise- were supposed to be given to an engaging noble couple, previous members of the Order special team and good friends of both me and Connie. If we find the thieves down here and bring them to justice, or kill them, I'm not picky after almost getting turned into roasted chicken by the unicorn, Connie will surely forget all her problems with any of you immediately. She might even stop going crazy with the... unique training schedule she made up for you."

"Mister Cromach?" Bubbles squeaked from the back, head still spinning around like a turntable to avoid any chance of being forcibly 'disappeared', "The bandannas are super nice, can I get one at home?"

"Come on," Anvil grinned, "Astray doesn't smell _that_ bad," she scrunched her muzzle, looking at the flowing river of waste, "Although it's too close for comfort sometimes."

"Well it has to be me, right?" the satyr answered cheerfully, "Our sweet fresh flower Anvil here always smells like spring meadow full of daisies, joy, and pure unbridled happiness and optimism."

"I- you- how dare- hhrrrng!" Anvil crossed her arms, breathing out sharply as everyone started laughing.

"Good one, finally asserting your place as the man of the team, eh?" Cromach winked at Astray, further fueling the fire.

"Well, I-" Astray started and shut up. Anvil wasn't staring daggers, she was shooting the satyr a vast array of longswords, halberds, and possibly targeting a tactical nuclear strike. Astray took a deep breath, "No, sir. I honestly believe that the real man of the group is Anvil and will always be."

"Heh, good of you to finally realize-HEY!" the minotaur's expression turned from smug to shock in a fraction of a second.

"Ooooh boy," Cromach wiped away a tear of laughter, "Yep, you three will be juuust fine."

They kept on walking in silence, each one for different reason though. Cromach was trying his best to navigate through the web of tunnels where he'd never been before. Anvil was entertaining the idea that dual-wielding Astray's ripped off legs might make for a fun combat style. Astray, now dreading the time when he would be alone with Anvil, was hoping whatever enemy was down here would take him as well. And Bubbles, big ears perked up to catch any noise of the mysterious ' _them_ ', was still uneasy after being told what happens to the ponies in the back.

Passing another ladder and hatch leading up into the real world, Anvil asked:

"Why did we start this far away from our destination?"

"It's a standard mage practice to put alarm spells on objects in the area where they live. These spells are quite subtle and difficult to detect, but the most common versions can be used only on things like doors, hatches, windows, and so on. It's like an electric circuit and the closed entrances work like switches. Open any single one, the encompassing spell will make sure the caster knows. Of course, it's quite likely that there will be multiple alarm spells scattered all over the walls and walkways, but those have to be recast every so often and each new persistent spell drains the caster's concentration and magic."

"How about rituals and runes?" Anvil asked, "Those don't need anyone to keep concetrating on them."

"Indeed," Cromach nodded approvingly, "But ritual marks and scratches in the floor or walls are something we can notice. So, if you haven't been watching for any unusual symbols around, keep your eyes peeled."

After another fifteen minutes, the group entered a vast, circular room where multiple streams of flowing sewage joined together into a waterfall ending deep under them. The walkway turned from concrete to steel grating leading along the walls. Anvil tested with few stomps whether the new path would hold her, and it looked like both the new 'floor' and railings were safe, solid, and well made. After reading the Power Ponies comic, she sort of expected having to climb, jump, and run over rickety structures, but this place was an excellent feat of architecture.

Cromach's Black Ops spotlights worked wonders, reaching deep down to the bottom of the room. However, no amount of exploration showed anything particularly out of place.

"Hmmm," Cromach whispered, "Nothing here. The old entrance to the mines should be..." he unrolled his map scroll again, looked around at the circle of tunnel mouths, and pointed at one, "That way."

His quiet voice relayed a clear message that sneakiness would be a virtue from this point onward. No jokes, no conversation, only mission. It didn't last long, though. The tunnel they entered was short, reaching a dead end only after some twenty pony lengths. The only way other than back was a fairly narrow pipe leading straight up. Anvil pondered for a second whether or not forcefully shoving Astray inside would be fun, but the pipe was barely thin enough for a small pony, much less a satyr. She didn't want to waste the energy.

"The mine entrance is supposed to be here, but none of the brickwork seems new or different," Cromach turned his map around few times, "Nope, we're definitely in the right place."

"Perhaps the tunnel's been rebuilt since the time your blueprint was drawn," Anvil took a guess, "It the mines aren't used anymore, there is no reason for anyone to wander there by accident. Maybe that's why the Royal Guards didn't go after the clue you've found."

"Something smells weird," Bubbles mumbled.

"We're still in the sewers, dummy," Anvil patted her head.

"No, this is different. Faint, but it smells like my mom's private workroom. I wasn't allowed there. I tried to open it once on accident when I got lost. Heck, did she beat me up..."

"Hmmm, a crazy demonologist's private laboratory, you say?" Cromach sniffed the air, He couldn't smell anything, but in the end he wasn't the one almost getting knocked out by any strong and sharp scent. Snapping his talons, he started pushing against random bricks in the walls.

"What are you doing, sir?" Astray gave him a quizzical look.

"Just checking if some part of the tunnel isn't an illusion or something. Help me, will you?"

Astray and Cromach took one side of the tunnel while Anvil nad Bubbles found the nearest bridge over the dirty trough and took the other.

Soft grinding of stones under his palms accompanied Astray pushing against a wall near the end of the tunnel.

"I think I found something," he whispered, letting go and kicking a bottom part of the wall with his hoof. Another brick slid aside with only a little resistance, revealing a small hole.

Anvil rushed over while Bubbles simply gripped the endge of the other walkway with her claws, tensed her hind legs, and launched herself over the trough, landing surprisingly quietly next to Astray. Being the smallest, she pressed her muzzle against the hole and took a deep whiff. A second later she covered her mouth with her forelegs, rolling away and whimpering quietly. The enchanted bandanna kept her from throwing up, but the surprisingly heavy and sickly sweet smell hit the half-demon hard. Cromach carefully leaned down to the hole as well, sniffing.

"Rotting corpses," was his barely audible voice, "We might be onto something."

"Up for some knock knock jokes?" Anvil grinned evilly, cracking her knuckles and reaching for the two-handed mace on her back.

"Up for a lightning bolt to the face?" Cromach hissed back at her, "You can't be reckless when dealing with wizards, especially those who can steal your soul and enslave it for eternity," he nodded to Astray, "Help me disassemble the wall, there seems to be no mortar holding the bricks together."

Carefully, the two broke through the wall into a much larger tunnel carved into solid stone propped with wooden beams on the sides while Bubbles recovered from the shock and Anvil covered their backs. The faint smell quickly turned into a foul stench all around.

"Well hello there," the griffon smiled and pointed at the stone floor, but his gaze hardened, "Disturbed dust, hoofprints. Somepony was here recently, and unless there is another access path," he looked at the map, "which there is, hmph, they must have levitated the corpse or corpses on the way. How are you holding up?"

"Hurk!" Bubbles was scowling, pressing her bandanna tighter against her nose.

"It's... disgusting..." Astray was doing the same, legs shaking.

"There must be a lot," Anvil gripped her warmace tighter. She wasn't giving away any real tells about her state, but her eyes darting all over the place betrayed nerves at work, "How can you ignore all that?"

"I've been in a Black Ops desert hideout where all operatives turned into Nightmare-controlled zombies. That place was much smaller, hallways much narrower. We burned them and they still rose up. Do you think this is bad? Try adding charred flesh, bones, gunpowder, and the sight of half-rotten half-burned immortal elite griffon soldiers rising back up to turn you into one of them. This is nothing."

Anvil wanted to say something, but saw the thousand-mile stare of the griffon and shut up. For the first time she believed she was in over her head. Cromach recovered and waved his foreleg towards the source of the smell.

Much like at the conflux of the sewer tunnels, the mine shaft opened into a large, spacey cavern. By the time the group got there, they got used to the more and more encompassing stench. However, as their flashlights reflected off of a towering and buzzing pile in the middle, it became all too much. Corpses upon pony corpses lay there, some untouched and some in poorly sown-together pieces. Fat white worms wiggled at the base of the dead mass while flies buzzed all around. Even Cromach froze at the sheer scale of the stockpiled desecration. The others, however, took it much worse.

Tears welled up in Bubbles' eyes accompanied by vomit in her mouth. Her legs failed her, and she started throwing up uncontrollably, the stress of everything finally bearing down on her. Astray fell down on his backside, pointing towards the wriggling mass, eyes wide, mouth opening and closing silently, and trembling. Only Anvil moved quickly, turning her back to Cromach's and covering his blind spots. She knew she would meet the empty, rotting eyes of the dead ponies again in her sleep, but that was for later. Now her instincts flared up, and she needed to make sure no one under her protection joined the already gone.

Thankfully, the grim hill remained just a hill while Cromach hugged Bubbles, wiping her mouth and stroking her mane. It didn't shift or anything even as he helped Astray get back up on his shaky hooves.

"Breathe deeply. I know it's disgusting but you need to breathe, guys," the griffon whispered. Several gagging fits from Bubbles later, the group's terror was slightly offset by the growing rage aimed at the unknown criminal who made this atrocity.

"Why would anypony do this?" Astray asked, circling the pile alongside Cromach.

"I don't know too much about dark magic," Cromach shrugged, "What I _do_ know is that most of these ponies come from unearthed graves. If this crazy amount of ponies were killed, especially here within Canterlot, even princess Luna would be on the case herself. Look at this," he pointed his talons at a spot where a brown stallion was somehow joined together with the torso of a white mare like a siamese twin, "Some corpses are stitched together, some are _fused_ into one. I can't help thinking that-"

"That this abomination is a single entity?" Astray finished the thought.

"Yeah. Probably some sort of golem, but it's not finished, otherwise it would be chasing us already."

Clap. Clap. Clap. Clap.

"Admiring my pet?" a crackly female voice came from the shadows ahead. Three flashlights -Anvil was still holding her two-handed mace- dispelled the darkness, revealing a sick-looking, thin unicorn mare with light grey coat and white mane. Next to her stood a big, white, bulky thing which at one point might have been a pegasus. Now his flesh was rotting and peeling away in places, his muscular forelegs ended in long, sharp claws, his featherless wingbones sported scythes with enormous reach when he flapped them, bony spikes protruded from his chest ready to impale anything or anyone the pegasus charged at, and his long tail whipped around, covered in spikes as well. A thin streak of black liquid dripped down from his muzzle, each drop sizzling softly on the cavern's floor.

The group fanned out. Anvil and Bubbles at each end of the half-circle.

"Not much of a chat, are you?" the unicorn mare chuckled, "Well, I'm sure I can find a good use for such exquisite specimens like you. I might even make a new flesh golem out of one of you. Wouldn't that be an honor? Old Peggy here is having trouble keeping it together these days. Get it? Cause he's a corpse, HAH! Aaaah, necromancy jokes."

The pegasus flesh golem lunged at Bubbles. His size and rotting shape were deceptive, he was _fast_. Bubbles jumped to the side, but the golem just opened his mouth, spitting a thick wad of dark goo at her, covering her entire muzzle at once and scattering droplets into her eyes.

"OWOWOWOWOWOW! Aaaaah, bleh!" blinded, she pawed at her face while backing away from the currently invisible enemy. It burned, but she had to wipe the acidic spit off.

Five sharp bones appeared from thin air above the necromancer's head, her foreleg pointed at Anvil who...

...blocked one with her mace, dodged another three with a quick pirouette, took her mace with one hand, and caught the last projectile with the other.

"Meh, Cross is much faster," she called out, shrugging. The enemy mare's face contorted in anger.

"You impudent filth!" the unicorn's horn disappeared momentarily, devouring the light cast by the flashlights, "RISE, MY CREATION! FEEL MY POWER FEED YOU AND RISE!"

Wet squelch resonated through the cavern. The corpse pile moved, rising up into a thick pillar made of ponies joined together. Tentacles made of of legs and entire bodies flailed, throwing aside poorly attached bits and more rotting pieces.

Cromach charged at the furious unicorn through the rain of decaying flesh, stripping his oversized battleaxe from his back. Astray somehow felt the pile's attention shifting towards the griffon, so he unsheathed his longsword, dropped his bag, and started hacking away at the base made of already dead ponies. It was about as effective as he expected, but-

"Above you!"

Anvil's yell was enough to make him roll to the side as a flailing pony tentacle wetly squished at the spot where he'd been standing a second ago. Well, at least the thing was focused on him now.

The pegasus flesh golem noticed Cromach rushing past, ignored Bubbles trying to get the acidic goo off of her, and pounced at the griffon. Crom just saw the blur in his peripheral vision, the edge of his battleaxe crackled with lightning, and he swung the implement heavier than the mace Anvil was using with one foreleg. Burning flesh and ozone joined the concoction of smells as the pegasus was flung aside with sparks still running through his withered coat.

Rising up, Astray failed to notice a smaller tentacle swinging at him from above until it was too late.

"Shi-" he opened his mouth.

CRACK!

The enormous limb made of flesh and bones was misdirected, and it slammed into the ground next to the satyr. Anvil flourished her heavy mace oozing blood after the first blow, heaving it above her head and slamming it down on the tentacle. It just squelched and cracked again, but didn't do much else. She realized her mistake. She needed a heavy and sharp weapon like Cromach had. Heck, even Astray's longsword would be better. She should have been more well-rounded, spent more time switching weapons during training, or maybe just brought a reserve one with her. Then she looked down at the satyr she saved from becoming marmelade and her eyes went wide.

The damn weakling had gotten it right. She hadn't.

Bubbles, face sizzling but sight returning, noticed the dazed flesh golem landing near her after Cromach's single blow. Her training took over, she locked on the pegasus' neck, dashed towards him, and bit down hard. A chunk of the hardened undead flesh disappeared without any resistance, but Bubbles' world turned to red, burning agony as unnaturaly spewing black blood drenched the inside of her mouth, her neck, head, everything.

Bubbles' pained scream made Anvil notice the demonette rolling around, puking her blood mixing with the acid. Beside her, seemingly unbothered by over half of his neck missing, the flesh golem was standing up, head held up by now drastically smaller string of muscles wobbling slightly.

"BUBBLES!" she screamed, blindly rushing to her, distracting the pegasus who gave her a dead stare. Unfortunately, the golem wasn't the only one distracted.

Cromach looked back, giving the necromancer he'd been pressuring and preventing from casting spells a chance to gain some distance. The mare's horn flared, making shadows dance on the cavern's walls and seep into pieces of flesh fallen off the undead pillar. From each bigger scrap, a new pony grew and arose. Slow and dim, but biting and punching anything alive that it could reach.

Astray's wide swing cleared the area around him from the risen zombies. They weren't trying to dodge, just push through. Hacking one's head off and kicking the confused body away, the satyr cleaved through towards incapacitated Bubbles and Anvil delivering crushing blows to the flesh golem. The minotaur was bleeding from dozens of smaller cuts. She was able to occupy the damn thing until the others started rising, and while she could just bat the smaller undead away easily, each time she did that the golem struck like clockwork. It, or he, hadn't been able to land a good strike with its tail or chest spikes, but it was a matter of time because Anvil's blunt weapon simply couldn't hurt it.

Anvil looked around to clear yet another wave of zombie ponies. Her swinging mace knocked the undead from their hooves. She turned back to reflexively knock the golem away again, but was met only with acidic spray covering her front. Roaring in mixed fury and pain, the blinded minotaur flailed her mace wildly while backing away.

Cromach's battleaxe cleanly passed through the necromancer's shield, slicing her chest open. The wound was deep, but not lethal and the mare lurched back, losing focus and control. Then Anvil's loud cry came, making Crom look away yet again to see the trio completely overwhelmed by the smaller undead, the flesh golem, and the pillar slowly but steadily moving towards them and raising its tentacles to smash everyone and everything.

"Heh heh heh," the unicorn gurgled, red blood seeping into her dirty, white coat, "You're not going to last long. But I commend you-AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

Lightning bolt from nowhere struck the necromancer, sending her on the floor into a twitching and smoldering heap. Cromach desperately wanted to finish her off, his delayed manifestation of divine power not bothering him, but he knew that would take time. Necromancers are hard to kill even when down. He would have to hack her head off, then dismember the body, and then possibly set it on fire. If he did that, the undead would drop, but in the meantime so would Crom's recruits. Nevermind, now that they knew where this den of evil was, the Royal Guard could dispatch units to deal with it later, or at least the corpse pile which the necromancer wouldn't be able to move in a hurry.

He turned his back to the mage and ran back through the cavern to regroup with the others. A hiss of magic was his only warning, but his reflexes honed by fight with gods and their avatars saved him from a barrage of icy spikes coming from the rising and fuming mare. What _did_ help was that she couldn't control, at least temporarily, the smaller zombies which now just stood there, swaying. Unfortunately, the golem and the pile were insurmountable resistance for the newbies.

"Hey, birdface!" Astray yelled at the pegasus golem, kicking a confused zombie at him. Then he heard the squelching behind him and knew, having been subjected to this twice already, that the slow pillar was close enough to raise one of its largest tentacles and swing down.

"Take a blow for them, take a blow for them..." he mumbled...

...and stopped...

...and lunged to the side.

The flesh golem raised its forelegs, but the massive tentacle was simply too fast and heavy. The shockwave let chunks of flesh loose and sent Astray tumbling away. Underneath the limb, a pool of acidic blood was rapidly spreading and melting both zombies and the tentacle itself.

"Oh fuck no!" Astray cursed, watching the broken golem stand back up through the corpse tendril melting as the black goo poured out of him. Alright, that thing was unstoppable, but it could barely walk now. If he was careful, he might make another tentacle take a swing at the pegasus again.

"WE'RE LEAVING!" screamed Cromach, galloping across the cave, hailstorm of icicles missing him by inches. The necromancer was furious, having thankfully completely forgotten about the others and seeing only the griffon.

"Anvil, Bubbly!" Astray kneeled by the minotaur groaning on the floor, "How bad is it?"

"Ah ahnt olk," Bubbles mumbled, wincing as the air coming form her mouth passed the hurt muzzle. Besides that, it looked like the coat on the front part of her had melted off, leaving only pink skin, but there weren't any serious wounds. She was barely standing, though, having to take unsteady steps every few moments to keep herself from keeling over.

"How do you think I look, moron?" Anvil grumbled, attempting to stand up but failing when her leg gave out.

"Lovely as usual," Astray breathed out in relief. They were still alive. Possibly not for long, but still alive, "Grab my hand," he helped Anvil pull herself up, serving as her crutch as they limped away towards the tunnel they had come through. Swaying Bubbles wobbled behind them.

"Oh what the hell is-OOOOOOOOOOOOW!" Cromach's hind paw slid over the black puddle left behind by the crippled flesh golem, making it splatter over his lower body. Grunting in pain, he pulled himself up.

Too late.

One of the corpse pillar's smaller tentacles landed on him as well. He felt the crunch through his entire body. Adrenaline overdose left his mind crystal-clear, though, and he pulled himself from underneath. His forelegs were fine, every breath hurt, one hind leg was kind of working...

...all in all, Cromach surmised, he could still make it.

His body jerked forward accompanied by a spike of both pain and ice. A stream of sharp icicles aimed by the necromancer dragging her hooves forward step by step but summoning barrage after barrage aimed with her horn, pushed him further and further. Not all hit him. not all were strong enough to penetrate his skin deep, but some were, and what the force of impacts rolled towards the tunnel was more a bleeding lump than a griffon.

"We've got to help him!" Anvil sat up...

...and fell down when she pushed Astray away.

"No, you've got to get out, you stubborn mare, or whatever you minotaurs are called!" Astray argued.

"SHUT UP! I'm going there to get him back, you damn coward!"

Astray shoved her chest down on the floor. Anvil glared at him, unable to push herself up against him.

"See how far you've fallen? You can't even push ME away," Astray leaned to her muzzle, "You've dropped to my level. This is how weak you are now. You can barely carry yourself, much less him. GO!" he let her go, turning to Bubbles, "Drag her away if you have to, just LEAVE! The huge thing can't get through the hole back to the sewers... I hope."

"DON'T YOU DARE ORDER ME AROUND YOU FUCKING FUCKERFUCK! YOU CAN'T LEAVE HIM THERE!" Anvil roared, fighting against Bubbles grasping her arm with her foreleg and starting to pull her down the tunnel.

"Yeah, I know," Astray allowed himself a grim smile, took a deep breath, and ran towards the small heap of one griffon and the enormous moving pile of dead ponies.

"Holy Celestia's sunshine!" he gasped as he approached the griffon who actually gave him a bloodshot stare, dragging himself forwards with one taloned foreleg. The monstrous tenacity of Cromach was beyond anything he'd seen before, and anything reality should allow, but there he was, broken, crushed, bleeding, pierced, but not giving up.

Astray tried to sling the heavy griffon over his shoulder, but it was too much. He knew forcibly dragging the griffon would kill him. Instead, got down on all fours, letting Crom wrap one foreleg around his shoulders, and pulled him forwards. It was agonizingly slow, but the flesh golem couldn't move at all now, last of his bones giving out, the necromancer was exhausted, lying down and watching, only the pillar of flesh was still following them, tentacles swinging around. It could barely fit into the tunnel. Astray had no idea what the necromancer's plan with a thing this big was, but he wasn't going to linger around to find out.

The two reached the broken brick wall of the sewers. There was no way the monster could follow them through. As they got nearer, Astray said:

"Almost there, sir. Almost there."

"Gonna... wait... forever... if... I must... Blaze..." with surprising strength, Cromach pulled himself through the hole, leaving Astray behind. The pile of flesh swung its tentacles just as the satyr pulled himself through. The wall held, and if the subsequent strikes were any indication, it would stay that way.

"Heh... heheh... heheheheheheheheh!" Astray started laughing like crazy. He kept going and going and going. Still alive, after all this still alive.

A warm, wet lick stopped him. He and Cromach were the only ones to lose their bags, everyone lost their scent-protectors, and only now he realized he was clutching his light pen so hard his palm hurt, but Bubbles' tongue on his forehead was the reminder that it wasn't all a dream, that it was real, and that the damn thing was still ineffecively banging on the walls.

"Anvil, grab sir Cromach, please," Astray whispered.

"On it!" she took Astray's sword in one hand, using it as a walking stick, and slung raggedly breathing Cromach carefully over her shoulder. Seeing that, Astray shook his head.

"Monsters... you are all monsters."

Standing back up, he took the sword back and propped Anvil against himself while Bubbles trailed behind. Thankfully, now that they didn't care about getting noticed they took the first ladder out of the sewers, ordered a shocked pony bystander to get a Royal Guard, and in no more than fifteen minutes they all happily passed out on provided emergency stretchers. Good thing Cromach had arranged the perimeter guard equipped with everything needed in case things went south.

Reporting the incident would have to wait. Blissful darkness called.


	13. Hit Hard: Field trip IV

Cromach's contacts at the Canterlot castle arranged everyone the best medical treatment possible throughout Sunday. As it turned out, most wounds weren't severe, and some basic regeneration spells took care of the worst of them with the promise that Anvil, Astray, and Bubbles would be fine in two or three days. Crom, however, had to stay in the Canterlot Royal Hospital. How the griffon had survived such damage to his body was mind-boggling for the doctors, but he was now in a private room on the top floor, connected to all medical machinery imaginable, unconscious, and still barely stable. There were no guesses about when he was going to be up and walking.

The train ride back to Manehattan was a somber and sleepy affair. Anvil and Bubbles had to avoid looking at lamps and anything bright after having their eyes burned. Their coats started regrowing quickly under the healer unicorns' attention, and now were simply shorter in places where the flesh golem's acid had hit. Bubbles' mouth was still itchy, sore, and sensitive, and the doctors had said all she should eat in the next few days would be soup. And finally, Anvil's shin was merely fractured, not broken, and after some magic she ended up only in light, supporting cast in which she could walk, albeit slowly. Astray himself had been beaten, exhausted, and covered in bite marks from zombies. After being reassured that he wouldn't turn into one as well, he had thanked whatever stars aided them in their escape and allowed him to leave the battle in the best shape out of all four victims.

Of course, that wasn't all. Bubbles had woken up repeatedly in the hospital and on the train, screaming and in one case biting a nurse. Anvil had kicked things in her sleep, mumbling and cursing to herself. How did Astray know? Because he couldn't close his lids without seeing white, glazed-over eyes of pony heads and bodies sown together barreling down on him. In his head, he kept seeing Anvil covered in acid, Bubbles rolling on the cold, stone floor in agony, and shredded Cromach dragging himself with one foreleg towards him.

And all that, _all_ of it faded when compared to what was going to happen in the future. Eventually, they would have to fight something even worse. They would have to win, not just retreat and recover. The thing was, though, that when they finally returned to the Order headquarters, they would have to report Cromach's condition to Contradiction.

Sadly, that came unpleasantly soon.

"The short version is that we encountered far more resistance than anticipated, destroyed one of the enemies, and got out just so-so. Last time we saw sir Cromach he was in the emergency room of Canterlot Royal Hospital," Anvil ended her brief report of the situation. It was more an assessment of what had happened rather than the full story, knowing Contradiction would ask for details herself.

Connie's eye twitched, the air around her horn quivered, and Astray started squirming in the air as invisible force dragged him upwards, squeezing his neck hard.

"WHAT DID YOU FUCK UP THIS TIME?" the unicorn's scream resonated within the walls of Cromach's office, "DO YOU WANT ME TO END YOU? JUST GROAN THE WORD!"

"Ma'am-" Anvil tried to get a word through the furious yelling.

"YOU THINK SHE IS A DEMON?" Connie pointed at Bubbles, "I'LL SHOW YOU WHAT A DEMON LOOKS LIKE!"

SLAM!

"CONTRADICTION, MA'AM!" Anvil rubbed her fist after smashing it into Cromach's sturdy desk, "LET. HIM. GO!"

"Hmph!" Connie scowled at the dangling satyr now slowly turning blue. Then she tossed him on the carpet.

"The failure of the operation was my fault, not his," Anvil looked Connie firmly in the eyes, "My poor choice of weapon despite having been told the possible nature of the enemy, my thoughtless way of distracting the enemy which ended up distracting my teammates and allowing the necromancer to escape from sir Cromach, and my lack of skill caused this. Your outburst was completely misplaced because..." she mulled over the words inside her head, "Astray actually saved all of us, regardless of any possible risk to his health. In the future, I would ask you to refrain from losing control this easily. It is unbecoming of one supposed to be our leader, and if it happens again needlessly I will _smash all your teeth out with your own ripped off leg_ ," she took a step back when met with intensity of Connie's not-too-sane glare, "I mean, I'm all for just and fair punishment for failure, but same goes for success, erm, ma'am," she saluted, growing uncertain with each silently passing second.

"I'm sorry I messed up," Bubbles mumbled mournfully, looking at the carpet with floppy ears, "I wasn't used to the smell. I got dizzy and couldn't help anypony. I knew the thing would spray acid, but I wasn't thinking. I panicked and Anvil had to save me so that the golem thing didn't... hurt me more. It all started with me failing everypony. I think I earned months in the pet carrier, miss Connie."

Connie took a deep breath. The truth of the situation was that the three had been unprepared, but Cromach knew it and still took them with him. It was more his fault than anyone else's, and she should have listened to the whole story first before going crazy like that. It was just... just that every time the griffon got hurt something inside her snapped. She couldn't control it, it was like an insanity switch. Her power flared and she needed to hurt somepony responsible, as if she became a living manifestation of fury and... fear. She was horrified of losing him, which was all too possible in this line of work. She just couldn't stop herself from turning into a mindless angry beast.

And, of course, when she regained her sanity she would always realize it was _her_ fault.

"No pet carrier for any of you. Well, maybe Astray," she gave the satyr visibly hurt by her words a small apologetic smile, "Sorry, it slipped out," she levitated several forms from the shelves behind her, "No point in crying over spilled milk, it's time to un-spill it," she scribbled and stamped the forms with official Order seal, "I'm giving you your first real mission, and that is protecting Cromach. You'll go back to Canterlot and patrol the hospital twenty-four seven. How you split your shifts is up to you, but I don't want any unauthorized access to Crom at any point, even if it's an unannounced lunch lady. It is Canterlot Royal Hospital, so it should be safe and I have no doubt you need some mental rest. HOWEVER, if he even gets a feather plucked out-"

The wide-eyed manic grin returning to her muzzle made the trio shiver.

"-I'll kill you, no matter the consequences."

Astray knew it instantly. It wasn't a threat. Just like when Anvil told him he wasn't a stallion to her, it was a _fact_.

He saluted, grabbed one of the three scrolls, turned around and left, followed by the other two. Only outside he realized he was trembling.

"What the heck is wrong with her?" Anvil whispered, "That bitch is crazy. Straight up frothing insane!"

Astray unrolled his scroll. It was mostly a distraction while he thought about Connie.

"Official business... require royal cooperation... supplies... access to the armory... budget of five-hundred bits..." he skimmed through it, "You know, Anvil, I've never had somepony who loved or even liked me... or who didn't think of me as a weird monster until recently," he looked at her, "but if after all the disdain and hate I found somepony who was okay with me..." he left the sentence unfinished.

"You ponies are far too emotional," Anvil shook her head, looking at her scroll as they descended down the main staircase. Then she sighed, realizing yet another several-hour ride was abound, "I'm starting to hate trains."

As a very different door in a different city clicked open, Black Shield looked up from her reading material at Secret Seeker entering the laboratory. The book she'd been reading wasn't about unicorns for once, but rather one about yoga. As she'd discovered over the past few days, Shield simply couldn't spend hours buried in written words and needed some physical outlet. Seeker's lab was connected to some sort of a storage room which she had rearranged to allow her larger form some freedom of movement. All in all, Shield was learning that aside from the enslavement of her body and soul, undeath was much like life.

"You up for some evil hunting in the sewers?" her master asked.

"OH BOY, AM I?" she raised her voice in excitement, then gave him a sarcastic stare even Discord would appreciate, "No, screw you."

Seeker was unphased. Just like Shield was learning to cope with her new existence, so was he getting accustomed by his unpleasantly unbroken servant.

"If you're really so keen on it then after we're done. Justice and fallen wizard tears make for a good lube I heard," he shrugged, "As an ex-guard, I would expect you to be jumping on an opportunity like this. I have a fresh report, eyewitnesses and everything, about a necromancer deep in the sewers who is behind the graverobbings and missing ponies. The report said she was preparing for something big."

"Are _you_ trying to appeal to my good nature?" Shield deadpanned.

"So, you're not going?"

"Do I actually have a CHOICE?"

"Heh, no, but I'd like to know your position on the matter."

"OF COURSE I'M GOING!" Shield stood up, putting her book on a shelf with her tail, "I'm just not sure how to feel about you suddenly going all protective about Canterlot and such."

"Right, right, Canterlot, innocents, blah blah blah..." Seeker walked over to his main workbench glowing with protection spells. Shield wasn't allowed to even go near it, "I think I've discovered a way to tap into the rings' power so this might be an excellent opportunity to try it out without laboratory conditions."

Shield found an urn containing some black viscous material, poured a little out on the table, dipped her hoof in it, and drew commando camouflage lines on her face.

"Let's do this!"

"You DO realize those are the ashes of a cremated pony mixed with dragon blood, right?" Seeker raised and eyebrow, "The URN was a dead giveaway."

"Ewwwwww!" Shield pawed at her face, smearing the black stuff all over and deeper into her coat. Then she stopped, thinking, "Hey, how come you're going to hunt a fellow evil necro? A power struggle or something?"

Seeker blinked in confusion.

"Fellow... necro?" he started drawing some chalk symbols around the magic circle engraved into the floor of his lab, "There is no coalition of united terrible evils. Whoever is down there is clearly insane, as most necromancers eventually are. It comes with the nature of their power when they don't have proper control. For some reason they always end up wanting to rule the world with their army of undead."

"Unlike you?" Shield took a jab at the working mage.

"As I said before, I want knowledge. Power comes naturally with it. Speaking of which, I haven't told you my name yet, right?"

"Oooooh riiight," Shield whistled innocently, "You totally haven't, umm, master."

He turned his flank to Shield, showing the symbol of a glowing question mark.

"My name is Secret Seeker. In my case, the name is quite fitting. I have no desire to rule the world or anything, you can trust me on it."

"Then why are you doing this? Why steal powerful artefacts and hide in some cellars somewhere? Why... kill me?" her voice faded.

He sighed.

"Look, it was nothing personal. The search for knowledge is a long path, mostly explored only by alicorns. Do you know why?"

"They are powerful?" she took a guess.

"No, as I said - power comes with knowledge. Knowledge comes with time. Time is something alicorns have in abundance but ponies like me don't. My calling is to uncover secrets of magic, and for that I needed a secret of immortality, or at least long life. An... acquaintance of mine brought me information that these rings would be leaving Canterlot castle vault after ages so I decided to take the chance. For that, I needed a powerful protector, specifically one with combat training. As I told you before, the trap on the grounds of the School for Gifted Unicorns was meant for any guard pony."

"You ruined my life just so you could make yours longer?" Shield's voice cracked.

Seeker answered coldly:

"I said I wasn't insane evil megalomaniac. I never said I was a good pony," he put the piece of chalk he'd been drawing with away, "Come on, I'm done. If it makes you feel any better, we're going to stop a mass murderer whose creations might endanger everypony in Canterlot eventually."

Shield wanted to scream in frustration, but knew it wouldn't get her anywhere. In the end, she just said with no emotion other than hollow emptiness:

"Yes, master."

Secret Seeker's horn flashed, the magic circle on the floor answered, and the duo was gone. In the blink of an eye, they appeared in front of a hole in sewer wall leading into a much larger mine tunnel. Loose bricks were strewn all around, splatters of blood marked the floor, and the stench of death hung in the foul air.

Seeker coughed, flicking his horn and creating a clear shimmering bubble of fresh, clean air covering his head. Shield was left hanging, but her undead physique wasn't touched by the smell aside from being disgusted. As they descended down the tunnel, Seeker watched pieces of decayed pony bodies lying all over the place. When they finally reached the cavern with pile of corpses in it, Shield muttered:

"How? How dare...? I'll kill whoever did this!"

Seeker just examined the heap.

"Amateurish work. Quantity over quality, typical thinking of beginners."

A duo of hoofsteps approached. Seeker's horn shot out a flare that burst in the air, brightly and persistently illuminating the entire cavern. The steps belonged to a pale unicorn necromancer mare shielding her eyes and a big pegasus with multiple body enhancements like Shield had. Well, more of them and definitely scarier looking ones. Compared to the scythe wingbones, spikes, and for some reason a bite-sized chunk of his neck missing, Shield with only her tail and greater size looked almost normal.

"Another pieces of the puzzle? Do you like what you- Secret Seeker, is that you?" the mare's eyes grew wide, "Oh my, what is Celestia's lapdog doing here besides the obvious?"

"Celestia's what?" Seeker tilted his head, "Oooooh, I didn't recognize you with that withered visage, Chill Touch. How's the insanity treating you?" he said mockingly.

"So she sent you to stop me, eh? Little teacher's pet," Chill Touch spat on the rocky floor.

"Still pissed off that I got into Sunbutt's expert thaumaturgy class while you didn't? Gee, how long that's been, over ten years?"

"You kissed up to her while I-"

"While you were simply worse than me at everything, don't kid yourself. So, what's with the corpse golem? Are you planning to unleash it on Canterlot or something? Because let me tell you, you still suck."

"YOUUUUUUU!" Chill Touch hissed, "I'll show you!"

"Yes yes, keep the crazy to yourself. Just tell me why you're doing this. Don't get me wrong, I couldn't care less about the ponies up in the city, but the mess you're making is kinda forcing the guards to focus on wizards a little too much for comfort. If your answer is at least half-decent I might let you leave the city and go terrorize some small town somewhere."

"NO, YOU CAN'T!" Shield objected.

"Let me, you pompous scum?" Touch laughed like a maniac, "You and your rules, where did those get you? The power we are tapping into, the well of souls, fear, blood, unresolved wishes of the dead. MORE POWER THAN A STRAIGHT GOODY-GOODY LIKE YOU CAN IMAGINE! I CAN FEEL IT COURSING THROUGH-"

"Aaand the pile's done for," Seeker interrupted her, blue glow of his horn absorbed into the hoard of corpses which started shimmering, "You're still just all talk, Touch."

"RISE MY PET!" Chill Touch roared. The pile didn't move, "How is it possible, it should be too massive for a hold undead spell?"

"You slapped together a bunch of bodies with magic. Yeah, the natural amount of power would stop a forceful, blind binding spell, but I've been standing here and letting you drone on about how angry and strong you are while figuring out every crack in your reanimation spell. And trust me, there's a LOT."

That was the final straw. Chill Touch's face contorted into one of pure fury.

"KILL THEM!"

"Shield, take care of the flesh golem."

Shield cracked her neck and stomped her hooves.

"It looks scary. Like a ton of enhancements scary."

"Quality over quantity, mudpony. I thought you learned something from me. Just be careful about his acid spit. Dead flesh like yours isn't too resistant to it."

"Fiiine," she pounced towards the pegasus opening his mouth, punched the ground with her foreleg to push herself to the side before landing, and speared him with her tail. Not surprisingly, the pegasus barely flinched, grabbing Shield's tail and pulling her towards him.

Secret Seeker's shimmering shield stopped a barrage of icy projectiles from Chill Touch. In retaliation, he conjured a pony-sized ball of magma in front of him, sending it at Touch who hastily put up a magical barrier as well. The ball scattered, splattering the corpse pile.

"MY PET!" Touch yelled.

"It was a disgusting abomination, nothing more," Seeker rolled his eyes, "Or what, did you call it Spot and taught it to fetch?"

"IGNORE THE MUDPONY WHORSE, KILL HIM!" Chill Touch's assault resumed, sending huge ice spikes beating against Seeker's shield. At Touch's words, the pegasus flesh golem ripped Shield's tail from his barrel and charged at Seeker.

Shield knew all she needed to do was prevent his concentration from being broken by the physical attack of the pegasus. Seeker was clearly leagues ahead of Chill Touch...

...but this was an excellent opportunity to let him fend for himself. She could slow her body down to allow the pegasus to get there first and possibly kill Seeker. Her magical core would then get depleted eventually and her enslavement would end...

...leaving this crazy mare free to do what she wanted, certainly killing more ponies and guards attempting to stop her.

"Lesser of two evils, Shield. Lesser of two evils," she muttered, wrapping her tail around the distracted pegasus' hind legs and sending him on the floor. Jumping atop his barrel, she punched away the protective bone spikes, gathered all her unnatural strength, and rammed her hoof straight through the hardened undead flesh of his chest. She felt the cracking of something crystalline against the rocky ground, the pegasus thrashed, then his movements slowed down, his eyes glazed over, and his mouth moved in a final breath which said:

"T... nk... you..."

Shield froze. As clearly as she saw her reflection in the broken pegasus' empty eyes she also saw her own future. Her hoof closed his eyelids, resolved not to end like him.

"Sleep well, whoever you were, you're finally safe."

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Chill Touch's agonized scream pierced the air of the cavern. The crying mage was clutching a stump of her burned off foreleg. Before her, untouched Secret Seeker covered in shimmering magical armor was watching her.

"Hey, Shield, do you want to bring her up to the guards?" he asked, not looking at his servant, "She is too weak for me to get anything useful out of flaying her mind for information."

Black Shield walked over, staring coldly at the whimpering white mare pushing herself away from her.

Blur.

"Urk!" Chill Touch stared in disbelief at the stinger of Shield's tail spearing her barrel. Shield dragged her closer to herself and pushed her off of her appendage. With one foreleg she shoved the mare on the floor, then she raised the other.

CRACK!

With a look of disdain, Shield examined the gore of brain, blood, and bone shards on her hoof. She wiped it off with the necromancer's headless corpse which she tossed on the burning pile of bodies.

"Let's go, master."

"Don't you want to check her flesh golem for some upgrades you might like?" Seeker levitated the dead pegasus in the air.

"Please," Shield said quietly, "Let him rest..."

Seeker looked at the pegasus, then at Shield, then back at the dangling golem. With a shake of his head, he let the body go.

"Come here," he ordered. Shield complied.

The image of the magic circle from his laboratory appeared on the floor, and the duo disappeared, taking with them Seeker's magical illumination. Shadows kept dancing on the cavern walls, though, as the cleansing fire consumed the pile of dead bodies finally safe from further desecration.


	14. Hit Hard: Targeted

Five days after the debacle in the sewers, Anvil, Astray, and Bubbles were still on guard duty in the Canterlot Royal Hospital. Nopony had objected when they came with official mission orders signed by Contradiction, and the staff offered them cooperation with their patrol schedule. What Anvil eventually worked out was challenging but served as a good training experience. During the day, only two of the three were on shift at Cromach's door. One of the watchers was allowed to rest on a bench nearby while the other one was alert, only waking the resting one up when having to go away for any amount of time. The third member was asleep back at the hotel. After visiting hours, all three members gathered to patrol the entire upper floors of the hospital. They weren't alone, the emergency staff took care of the patients twenty-four seven, but they were a big increase in security.

Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

Scratching and clicking of talons through the empty first floor preceeded a rusty, gold-speckled head of Bubbles peeking from behind a corner. As usual, the building had a compact square layout so often encountered in structures needing to fit limited space of upper Canterlot. The curious mare was simply walking around through the hallways, sometimes secretly peeking into rooms despite being told not to bother sleeping patients.

One floor higher, Astray's hoofsteps echoed through the sterile halls. He was trying to be quiet, but hooves weren't the best for sneaking on polished floor. The satyr looked around for something, and his expression brightened when he saw a pair of glowing vending machines. He'd been sent for some iced coffee by Anvil, and he was sure as hay going to deliver.

Speaking of the minotaur, she was on floor three. Her eyes were closed, but she stood in front of the door to Cromach's room like a gatekeeper - legs spread and mace held in her both arms propped against the floor. Her ears twitched with every sound, though. No matter what might happen, no matter what lower floors held, she was the final boss. Whoever wanted anything with the Silver Sun leader had to go through her. Granted, nothing had happened since they'd arrived, but she wasn't going to relent just on the basis of being bored.

The pitch darkness in the alley behind the Royal Hospital shifted. The movement revealed an average-sized dark green robe which would be completely invisible in the darkness if it weren't for the faint light coming from the lit windows leading to the ground floor hallway. A horn poked through the robe's cowl, revealing the pony moving without making any sound was a unicorn. The figure stopped under a window two heads above it and took a deep breath.

"Stupid guards... making this needlessly difficult," it hissed quietly, "Visiting hours my gaping ass."

The unicorn's telekinesis attempted to slide the window open. The desired access path refused to budge.

"Anti-tampering magical wards?" the figure chuckled, "Well well well..."

After several more seconds of focus, the window slid open without any resistance. Actually, it was a lot of resistance, but the unicorn's telekinesis pushed through the protective spells. The pony looked upwards, contemplating how to get through while not making too much noise by climbing inside. Another deep breath was heard, then a 'whoosh!' like a pegasus using a cloud as a trampoline, and the flailing unicorn flew through the window, barely stopping its moving legs before hitting the floor of the hospital hallway. Few noiseless jumps on the spot later, the unicorn closed the window and listened for any alarms or commotion.

Nothing. The spells had to be only on the main entrances or something.

Looking around for a staircase, the unicorn started walking. Aside from its careful breathing, no noise followed its hoofsteps again. A hypothetical curious observer, before being immediately knocked out, would notice that the figure's hooves weren't in fact touching the floor, but were hovering a small distance above it. Wiping its forehead, the unicorn congratulated itself for avoiding the receptionist guard in the lobby with a clever point of entry, and took the stairs up to the first floor.

Near the top of the staircase, the unicorn froze. A rusty mare with gold speckles all over her coat came from behind the distant corner. Before her head turned towards the staircase, the unicorn backed off several steps and lay down. The intruder thought quickly. There was a vase with flowers on the corner table. All the unicorn had to do was...

Clink!

The vase flew back behind the corner. Bubbles turned her head and went back to investigate the suddenly moved pottery. Not even her ears could catch only the softest whispering of air that followed the unicorn rushing up the stairs and taking the adjacent staircase leading to the second floor. Bubbles only picked the vase up, shrugged, thanked stars for the thing being sturdy and not breaking, gathered the plastic ornamental flowers strewn around, set the entire thing back on the table, and returned to her patrol.

A quiet gasp escaped the unicorn's muzzle after entering the second floor and being faced with a satyr's back. Thankfully, the noise was masked by Astray inserting coins into the clicking and clacking vending machine. Astray pushed a button on the machine's panel, the steel spring behind a glass pane holding the desired beverage turned, and the can fell through the hole under the displayed goods. He put the can under his armpit and started loading a next batch of coins into the slot.

"Soda for me, coffee for Anvil, aaand... a milkshake for Bubbles," he mumbled.

The unicorn hesitated. Sneaking behind someone this close was risky enough even with the noise of accepted coins covering the rustling of the robe. On top of it, he might spot a faint reflection in the glass. Any violent approach would also immediately bring anyone here instantly. Plus, the intruder was on a timer, since as soon as Astray was done with his business he would turn around. The unicorn focused, and the spring holding the can of coffee bent. Not by much, but enough to keep the drink from dropping into the hole.

"Oh come on! Stuck?" Astray, like anyone ever in his position, knocked on the glass. Leaning against the machine, he wiggled the entire frame. The can shifted a little, "Ah-hah!"

Smirking, the unicorn finally passed behind the back of Astray violently shaking the entire machine in order to get his drink. The satyr didn't notice a thing. Just one more staircase, and the intruder's goal would be within reach.

The robed unicorn didn't know how much time until Astray would go share the bought drinks, so time was of the essence. Thankfully, there was no one around in both corridors as far as the figure could see. Completely soundless movement was a blessing when moving from the corner stairs, when after reaching the end of the hallway and poking its head around the corner the sight of a standing minotaur greeted the unannounced visitor.

Now, how to go about this?

Anvil stood about halfway down the next hall, right where the unicorn's goal was. There was no way she would leave the spot unless...

...unless she saw a threat and went to eliminate it.

The unicorn hovering an inch above the floor descended, taking few careful steps which, while quiet, were still noticeable within the nighttime corridors. There was no noise from the minotaur. The unicorn peeker from behind the corner...

...only to see Anvil staring right back from the door, raising her warmace.

The minotaur charged.

The unicorn started running, loud hoofsteps echoing through the upper floor. It was faster than Anvil, and reached the staircase down even before she cleared the first corner. Trotting down the first few stairs, the invader reapplied its makeshift way of hovering, returned back up, and rushed down the other hallway just as Anvil's head came barreling from behind the far corner.

Anvil was grinning while running. She heard whoever the visitor was go down the stairs where they would inevitably meet Astray who could at least slow them down enough for Anvil to catch up. Unless the satyr was unconscious or, she scowled, dead. If that was the case, Anvil would very gladly use the biggest advantage of her blunt weapon - causing as much pain as possible while leaving the target alive. Taking pairs of stairs with each bound and leap, she rushed downstairs.

The door to Cromach's private room was now unguarded as the figure let out a deep breath. With its now trademark noiseless movement, the unicorn's telekinesis wrapped around the handle and pushed.

Part one, successful.

The door to Cromach's hospital room opened and the visitor slipped inside, quietly shutting it behind her. It was a normal room with the capacity for three ponies, but Crom was the only one there. The unicorn withdrew her hood, revealing the black coat of Contradiction, each differently-coloured eye focusing on the misshapen shadow barely illuminated by the street lamps down outside the window. Connie had managed to clear some time in her schedule to visit Canterlot, but the time was scarce and thus precious. She'd wanted to check up on Crom herself, but unfortunately the hospital staff were dead set on not letting her inside after visiting hours despite her rank and social status.

Which was a strange thing, considering she was a boss of the trio she'd just successfully avoided, now that she thought about it.

The first second she saw the big equine figure standing next to Crom's bed, a lot of things fell into place. She immediately flipped the light switch next to the entrance and her eyes narrowed. The tall, well-built, brown earthpony mare with blonde mane fading to withered grey was someone Connie remembered painfully well. The long, prehensile tail ending with a thin stinger lodged within the unconscious, hopefully, white griffon's side was new, though.

"You!"

"You?"

Both Black Shield and Contradiction called out as the light illuminated both of them. Where Shield was merely surprised, Connie felt the now familiar twinge of uncontrolled berserk coming.

The undead earthpony gave motionless Cromach a final glance and then withdrew her tail from him, leaving a thin trail of blood behind. Then, with uncharacteristic care, her tail wrapped around a bundle of rolled up bandages and shoved it into the wound. It wasn't a big or threatening one. The stinger on the end of Shield's tail narrowed into an extremely thin tip which allowed for penetrating armor as well as doing her current task without seriously harming the subject.

"I thought I killed you in the mansion," Connie was seeing red, but the only reasons why she wasn't charging at Shield straight up were simple. First, the earthpony had Cromach within reach and could likely seriously wound him before Connie's telekinesis could stop it. The other one was that she had willingly stopped what she'd been doing and all the beeping machines around Cromach were showing the griffon's condition as stable.

"Heh," Shield chuckled joylessly, "Unfortunately no, you didn't."

"ANVI-" Connie slammed the door next to her open without looking and opened her mouth.

At least that was what she tried to do.

Shield's tail stretched, spearing the lock of the door that had managed to open just few inches, and slamming it shut and stuck. The blinding speed made Connie shut up mid-call and jump aside while turning an unused bed over for cover. Connie hoped that Anvil's blind running around the hospital was over and she heard the noise.

As soon as her telekinetic grip rattled the not budging door, Black Shield pounced. Connie, however, unlike an ex-Royal Guard such as Shield had plenty of real combat experience and the opening attempt was just a bait. A blade of telekinetic energy, so effective last time the two had met, hit Shield's unnatural tail, turning the earthpony's jump into an involuntary spin. The tail didn't get cut in two, though.

Shield landed on all fours, quickly recovering and turning to Connie...

...only to recieve an entire steel bedframe moving at the speed with which a normal unicorn pitches a small ball in her face. She had only a fraction of a second to brace for impact before the heavy construction slammed into the wall next to the window leading outside along with her.

Not that she was hurt, though.

Connie's eyes bulged as completely untouched Shield rose from the room's wreckage, pushing the bed effortlessly away. The expression of surprise turned into one of horror when Shield's foreleg pushed against a steel bar of the frame and bent it with the creak of metal straining against unstoppable force and losing. The air around Connie's horn twisted and wobbled.

"Uh uh uh..." Shield waved her hoof, nodding towards Cromach still lying on a bed in the non-demolished part of the room.

Connie's gaze darted to the griffon, noticing Shield's tail wrapped around his neck. The damn thing could stretch so easily while being tough enough to withstand a sharp swing. There was no doubt in Connie's mind that someone as strong as Shield could snap an unconscious griffon's neck very easily.

"Just between the two of us," Contradiction growled, "If you hurt him any more I will personally scour the darkest rancid pits of Tartarus to find you and show you the meaning of pain."

"I'm pissing myself already," Shield raised an eyebrow, unimpressed by the threat, "How about you try that again on somepony who hasn't had their nerves numbed to nothing after being enslaved to serve for eternity?"

"I _know_ you can feel pain, or something close enough. I saw your face back in the mansion when the big spell hit. Let the griffon go or I promise you I'll find a unicorn who knows how to treat undead and rend your soul into pieces over and over. And since you can't die, I won't ever let it end."

Shield scowled. Did the dumb bitch think she was doing this willingly? On the other hoof, the temporary stalemate was just what she needed. She was under no orders to endanger the griffon nor anyone in the vicinity unless directly threatened. However, the unicorn looked barely in control of her rage which meant the griffon was someone close to her. That complicated things, since Shield wouldn't harm anyone without her body forcing her to. Contradiction was unknowingly signing Cromach's fate herself. Shield needed to calm her down to prevent disaster. She needed to talk. She needed to bluff the spell controlling her to share at least some meaningful information which would help her resolve the situation without killing anyone.

"Alright, mare," Shield hissed, "I don't know who you are or what you're doing here, but I have no reason nor desire to hurt the griffon unless you make me. I know I'm not in a position for you to trust me, but I used to be a Royal Guard before this happened to me. I can't tell you much more because the spell controlling me doesn't allow it. So, if you stop choking on your angry spit and let me go, nothing bad is going to happen."

"Why are you here? Why did you stab him? Who are you?" Connie's icy questions gave Shield several precious seconds to think, "The correct answers might be your chance to breathe one more hour."

Shield growled to herself in frustration. She knew Connie had no reason to trust her, but COME ON! She was being the nice mare here, sort of.

"My name is Black Shield, and it's completely irrelevant at this point. I'm here for a sample of his blood. Before you ask, I have no clue why. I'm just following orders because, honestly, I don't really have a choice. You, on the other hoof, _do_. The magic controlling me will force me to do a thing you don't want to happen," she tilted her head to Cromach while not letting Connie out of her sight, "if I encounter resistance. If you just let me go, I'm out in a second and your griffon buddy here only loses a small amount of blood. Think of it as a donation to the needy."

"You are involved in the theft of extremely valuable magical antiques. You are not leaving as long as I have something to say about it. Oh, and by the way," Connie smiled like a shark, then her horn flared, "one day I'm going to fuck the everliving soul out of 'my griffon buddy' here. I kinda need him in one piece for that."

"You stupid-" Shield stopped, realizing in shock that her tail was getting unwrapped from the griffon's neck. How damn powerful the unicorn before her was?

No matter, she still needed to focus which Shield had to use to her advantage before ending up with no other option than killing innocents outright. Pouncing, she cleared the entire room and crushed Connie against the wall. Punching the dazed unicorn in the muzzle, she picked her up in her forelegs and slammed her on the floor. Then her world blurred and the crack she heard came from her back hitting the wall on the other end of the room again.

Unfortunately for Connie, her desperate blast of power lobbed Shield right back to Cromach. Shield was running out of semi-peaceful ways out, so she opted for the hostage one. Dragging Cromach out of the bed by his neck with her tail once again, she dangled his unresponsive form in the air.

"You're making it really difficult not to do anything to him!"

Nopony, not Shield nor Connie herself could have ever guessed how big of a mistake that would be.

Connie snapped. Her higher brain functions shut down. The boiling telekinetic power inside her was now free of any worries, concerns about justice and collateral damage, and mercy. The primal beast now in front of Shield knew and desired only two things - to protect...

...and to destroy.

Shield's tail got unwrapped by Connie in an instant. She felt the undead muscles of her body strain in vain against gargantuan pressure ripping her protective changeling queen belly plate away from her skin. Holes in her whole body appeared as if invisible spears pierced her with little to no resistance. A shock she felt deep in her soul relayed to her that some of the telekinetic shots grazed the crystal core keeping her alive.

Blood oozing from her, strands of flesh and hair stripped from her barrel making it look raw, tail partially ripped away from her behind, and looking like swiss cheese, Shield opted for her final solution. With the little remaining control she had of her tail, she stabbed Cromach's chest. The blow wasn't extremely strong, it couldn't be anymore, but blood quickly started flowing in its wake.

Shield was hoping Connie would rush to help the griffon and leave her alone.

She was wrong.

Connie's planned tactical combat thoughts turned to complete mess. Before, her killer and protective instincts used her skill and experience in the best way to protect Cromach and kill Black Shield. Now even those devolved into - save love, remove obstacles.

The speed with which Shield left the room through the window wasn't possible to catch with normal eyes. She was big, the window wasn't. If left alone, Shield could have carefully crawled through. Moved like lightning, however, her body and the concrete walls had a disagreement. Like an enormous soft peg fitting into a small square hole, Shield's legs snapped, flesh was sheared off, her entire body went U-shaped as it was squeezed through in a matter of a milisecond. Nothing Shield's destroyed form could do prevented her from falling down three floors on the flagstones of the alley below.

Anvil's mace shattered the room's stuck door, scattering bits of wood everywhere including at the wide-eyed crying mare without the barest grasp on reality. Scanning the demolished room and coming to the conclusion that no other pony was present, the minotaur asked:

"Contradiction?" she asked.

"Help, keep," Connie muttered.

"What's going on?" Astray took his first step into the room-

"Useless, discard."

-before being flung back into the hospital hallway.

Bubbles peeked inside.

"Unhelpful, discard."

She braced her claws against the irresistible force grabbing her barrel and dragging her away to gasping and groaning Astray. The grinding sound of stone floor being scarred by her forelegs digging deep into it was torturing.

Anvil stared. She had seen hunters back home, alone and shattered after being hunted down by polar bears or packs of frostwolves before being saved. She had seen them revert to their inner cornered beast when faced with mind-shattering fear. That was why she knew what was going on after spotting groaning and bleeding Cromach lying nearby. The various tubes she was now used to seeing sticking out of his body were ripped out, but the only more serious wounds were one stab in his chest and a smaller, barely bleeding one in his side. Connie, while bruised and bleeding from her muzzle, was not afraid for herself.

"Alright, bandages," the minotaur mumbled to herself. Nothing looked life-threatening so it needed just some basic first aid. She turned her head around in case a pack of gauze was lying somewhere close. She knew Connie was allowing her to stay, but that could change with her first step towards the wounded griffon.

RIIIIIIIIIIP! CRACK!

Straps of torn bed sheet hovered in front of her in a second...

...along with several broken pieces of the steel bed frame.

"Alright, I'm just going to cover the wound, that's all," Anvil said nervously while walking past Connie and kneeling by Cromach. There was enough of the shredded cloth to cover both bigger wounds. After that, she picked Cromach up and felt steel grasp of telekinesis wrapping around her, "Just putting him on the bed. The only one you didn't break."

The grasp faded.

"What's all the commotion, patients are trying to slee-" a scowling unicorn doctor trotted through the door-

"Didn't stop zombie, useless."

-before repeating Astray's flying maneuver.

Anvil knew that slapping Connie until she snapped out of it would be the correct thing to do. Anvil also knew that with her arms torn off and possibly crushed into small bloody lumps she would have serious trouble eating for the rest of her life. With that in mind, she opted for the less perfect choice of simply putting her hands on Connie's shoulders and shaking her.

"He's fine. It was just a fleshwound that looked way worse than it was," she said in a low, comforting voice, "Sir Cromach will be okay."


	15. Hit Hard: Targeted II

Like the final puff of helium leaving a party balloon, Connie slowly breathed out and closed her eyes, sitting there slumped like a statue.

The doctor peeked inside once again.

"You can come in now, I think," Anvil nodded at him, "Don't say anything, just take care of the griffon."

He nodded back, slowly walking to the patient. There wasn't much to do. After finding a real stack of bandages, a miraculously unbroken bottle of desinfectant, treating the wounds with trained precision, and pinning the more basic monitoring machines back to Cromach, the unicorn said:

"I'm done, and the patient needs rest. I've administered a mild anesthesia since I don't dare use anything stronger at this moment. Now, can somepony tell me what happened here?"

"Later," Anvil hissed at him, "You did good job, just leave us alone for now and I'll tell you the news in the morning."

"Look here, miss private guard!" the unicorn objected, "I have a report to write about a breaking and entering, destruction of property, and-"

"Useless, discard."

The unicorn doctor regretted not being born as a pegasus for the second time tonight.

"Contradiction, ma'am?" Anvil shook Connie again, much more softly, "We should let sir Cromach rest."

"Leave," said Connie.

Anvil wanted to know what happened. She was worried about leaving Cromach with somepony who looked less than barely sane. In the end, she decided not to push it. There was no imaginable way Connie was the real threat here.

She walked out of the permanently unlocked door- bits of door hanging on one hinge.

" _Everyone_ , go about your business. We will inform you about what happened in the morning," she said quietly but firmly, "Weakling, Bubbly, you two stay here with me."

The visibly bothered hospital night staff gradually scattered despite some mumbled protests.

Back 'inside', Connie stood up, carefully walked over shattered pieces of furniture and medical supplies towards the softly breathing patient. Scarce sounds coming from the window demolished by Black Shield's career as a bullet reached up here only as faint echoes. Connie's brain cells slowly retuned one by one, realizing Crom would have to be moved soon because while the late summer night wasn't cold by any means, to someone recovering from such heavy wounds like Cromach it might be dangerous.

She just wanted few minutes alone with him, even if he had no idea it was happening.

Post-combat shakes finally fading away, Connie lay down next to the only remaining bed like a dog waiting for its master.

"Connie?" her ears perked at the griffon's quiet question.

She sprung up, staring at Cromach attempting to raise his head and give her a weak reassuring smile. She was still just trying to gather herself, so she walked up to him, sat back down on the floor, and put her muzzle on the pillow next to his head.

"Thank you," Cromach continued. Connie whimpered, stopping when the griffon's talons caressed her ears and mane, "I've been watching from the start."

"Hmm?"

"This... Black Shield. Somepony teleported her inside my room. One moment she wasn't there and the next second she was right next to me. I wanted to call out for help but she was insanely fast, not confused by the translocation for even a breath. She silenced me, stabbed me with her tail and I lost control over my body. Minor paralytic venom, I guess," each word sounded strained, but it was clear Crom wanted to talk.

"They fucked up so much... before and now again..." Connie muttered, "I can't forgive this. I just can't."

Crom patted her head.

"Come on, they couldn't have even heard a thing. I got a hoof pressed against my beak before I knew what was going on. Don't be too harsh on the newbies."

"They caused all this. I... you don't understand. I can't think about one of them without wanting to rip something apart. When I saw the earthpony with her tail inside you I didn't want to hurt her at first. I only wanted to see all three of them hanged. Tortured, flayed, dipped in acid, and then hanged while begging for mercy. I can't control it. I can't."

Cromach stared at the tearing up mare. Then he noticed a faint shimmer around a piece of steel frame from one of the broken beds. The metal bar was being squeezed into a flat edge.

"I just wish you followed her and ended her threat once and for all. She wasn't lying about not wanting to harm me. It was more important than-"

"NOTHING is more important to me than you!" Connie raised her voice, "Especially not some mutant zombie."

Cromach chuckled, running his talons over her muzzle and cheek.

"Connie, for all it's worth, you did a great job. If I wasn't here for her to use me as a hostage, you could have shredded her. But there's one good thing about it."

"What could be good about you being turned into a pin cushion by some undead mare?"

"That I now know exactly how you feel. Before Heavy Hoof, Blaze, and I started rebuilding the Order, Blaze and I got caught in an attempt to seize Griffon Empire throne. The Empire was controlled by three brothers - Emhyr, Vargaz, and Crowley. When Emhyr was killed by an unknown assassin, the noble families decided the heir to the Imperial throne would be his son. Vargaz, the leader of Imperial Black Ops, was supposed to be the young Emperor's guardian and teacher until he reached adulthood. Crowley, however, got possessed by Nightmare months before. Neither Crowley nor Vargaz were evil, they both wanted bright future and safety for their country and subjects, but Nightmare eventually twisted Crowley into a ruthless caricature of himself. He sought Blaze's help in controlling the Nightmare inside him in order to become immortal and give the Empire the same stability Equestria is enjoying under princess Celestia."

He took a deep breath and continued:

"I managed to uncover Crowley's schemes and warn Vargaz and the young Emperor in time. It all graduated in Crowley's attack on the Holy City, namely the Imperial throne room, where Crowley and his sympathizers staged a coup. Heh," Crom chuckled, "Blaze was captured by Crowley's forces earlier, but they underestimated him severely and he crashed Crowley's airship straight into the palace. You should have seen the look on Crowley's face. When he knew his well-intentioned takeover was doomed, he lost it completely and Nightmare took over. Blaze was the only one who could hold his own against a real god intent on wiping all of us out. When Nightmare realized Blaze was stealing its power to use it against the god, the floodgates opened and Blaze was struck with everything Nightmare had. He couldn't bear all that power, no one could. Even despite being a forcibly ascended alicorn, he would have been destroyed there and then, along with the rest of us."

"What happened?" Connie asked, still confused about the story.

"I happened. I stopped thinking. All that was repeating in my head over and over was that if I don't do something he will die... again and forever this time. So I jumped into the flow of power between him and Nightmare. I didn't have a plan, I didn't know what I was doing, I just wanted to be by his side, to either live with him or die with him. It turned out Nightmare wasn't expecting it, and Blaze transferred part of the cycling energy into me, enough to allow him to survive a little longer while balancing forces beyond the understanding of anyone. It bought us enough time for Vargaz to kill the busy Nightmare's host and banish Nightmare for some time again. The next time the god possessed somepony, it was Straw Basket, and you know that story more than well. What I'm trying to say... is that love is a crazy thing, it makes us do crazy things... and that I appreciate what you're feeling towards me."

"Really?" Connie looked up at his face, not daring to hope.

"Yeah. I know it might just be the morphine talking... but I need to griffon up. I've been insulting Blaze's memory by losing what he loved about me, and... and I think you're the right pony to help me regain it, Connie. I've been in a relationships with many mares and stallions before I fled to Equestria, but I haven't felt like somepony had my back no matter what darkness awaited before meeting Blaze... and now you. When they let me out of here, I hope I can become a real stallion again, and a good start to that would be taking you out on a date."

"Uh-umm-mhm-uhhh-" Connie couldn't speak, she just nodded, tears streaking down her cheeks.

She didn't believe it. She _couldn't_ believe it. She _KNEW_ it was just the morphine talking. She had told herself not to believe it back at the mansion where her drunken mishap started all this. No matter what, though, it still was the best thing she'd heard in forever.

Crom's foreleg patting her slowed down and then went limp, signalling the anesthesia finally kicked in. Connie stayed there for few minutes, listening to his slow breathing. When her tears dried up, she wiped all remaining mess off of her face, and left the room.

"Call the doctor," she ordered sharply to the trio standing on guard outside, "They need to move him to a new room."

"Yes, ma'am!" they saluted as one. Astray turned to leave.

"And you can be sure I'll remember this fuck-up," she hissed, magma-hot rage returning at the sight of the three faces, "for the rest of _your_ life."

The beast was coming back, the physical need to torture and cause screaming agony. She tamed it...

... _for now_.

Thirty minutes later, Contradiction stood in front of the gathered night shift hospital staff. Anvil, Astray, and Bubbles informed everypony about the order to assemble in a lecture room used by and for students of Canterlot Medical University working in the Royal Hospital for school credits or internships. There weren't many ponies - Connie herself, three nurses, the receptionist guard, and two emergency doctors. The order trio had been commanded to return to their patrolling, and Connie was about to question the staff about how the hay someone could teleport into the hospital when the magical wards were supposed to make it impossible. Unfortunately, Connie had little to nothing to go on.

"Is that everypony?" she asked the gathered few.

"Yes, miss," the official hospital guard answered politely. He was a batpony usually working the night shift, and he was extremely embarrassed that both Black Shield and Connie snuck in under his nose.

"Good. Now, sir Cromach told me the attacker teleported inside," she was interrupted by gasps all around, "The window was closed when I snuck in, and she was too big to get inside unnoticed through it. The Order guards I commissioned didn't see her get inside either. Granted, they didn't see me as well, but the intruder was fairly noisy in her movements in comparison. That is why I believe Cromach's witness that teleportation was the means of getting inside. The intruder was an earthpony, though, so somepony must have translocated her instead."

"That is impossible," the batpony guard shook his head, "The hospital is protected by barriers blocking outside telekinesis on all windows and doors, and anti-teleportation measures all over. Even if any of the barriers were forcibly destroyed, alarm spells would have woken up everypony and called the guards from the nearest guardhouse."

"Well, I forced a ground floor window open fairly easily and no alarm went off. The attacker obviously got inside without any problems either. How do you knows the spells are still working?"

One of the unicorn doctors raised his hoof, and his horn flashed.

"All the magic is in place. Is it possible it was temporarily disabled?"

"You tell me," Connie rolled her eyes. These guys obviously had no clue what could have happened, "Could someone forcibly disable the protective barriers as well as the alarm spells?"

"Definitely not," the guard shook his head, "The spells are contained by runes hidden within the hospital. Those are inspected, maintained, or upgraded monthly by high-ranked wizards from Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns. The head of the hospital should have the official certificate of internal safety somewhere."

"So, the best of the best mages in Canterlot certified this place should be safe. Someone at a celebration attended by both princesses managed to use a paralysis spell on all the visitors including the alicorns. The spells are still here, or likely here again after being temporarily disabled. Hmm, is there a way of disabling the protection spells in case of misfire or something?" Connie asked the guard.

"Not as far as I know. The security staff cannot do it, the head doctor cannot do it even in the case of patients being in danger. If such situation arises, the CSFGU wizards have teleportation circles in the nearby buildings so they can get here instantly. They must be the only ones able to stop the barriers from working, if that."

Connie sighed, frowning. She put two and two together, connecting the wizard nearly killing Cromach at the mansion somehow to the School for Gifted Unicorns. Unfortunately, the school doubled as research quarters for the best wizards of Equestria and a political powerhouse. She couldn't just barge in and start shaking ponies by the neck.

She needed to think, and each minute that passed only gave the enemy another chance to strike.

"Good stitching," Black Shield commented, lying yet again on Secret Seeker's operating table. Her encounters with the black and white unicorn were ending unpleasantly repetitively. On the other hoof, Seeker was becoming really good with his magical ebony needle, "The necromancer in the sewers definitely had a much worse-maintained golem."

"Chill Touch was insane, that's the long and short of it. She always wanted power, and always ended up outshadowed and humiliated in some way. I have no doubt some sort of revenge was her reason for creating the corpse abomination."

Shield wanted to ask about Seeker's past at first, but her thoughts slipped back to Contradiction. She had given Seeker the stolen blood samples and reported what happened. In response, Seeker told her some basic details about the Order of the Silver Sun, Cromach, and his aide Contradiction. After thoroughly cleaning the operating table, Shield returned to her reading.

"Do you think this Contradiction could stop you?"

"Me? Based on what I saw in the mansion she's dealing well with the thaumic suppression syndrome, but she isn't overly dangerous. I have ways of dealing with strong telekinesis."

Shield narrowed her eyes. She _had_ thought the same thing after the theft, but the Contradiction she'd met in the hospital was vastly different. Shield had asked Seeker to show her how powerful her undead body was, resisted some of his spells, and crushed some of his magical barriers. Contradiction was definitely way stronger, but infinitely less durable than Shield. However, if she was prepared and maybe warned, she might be able to stop Secret Seeker.

How to get a message through, though?

The spell hadn't prevented Shield from saying her name and divulging the nature of her intrusion to the hospital. Seeker wanted Shield to stay unnoticed or at least unimpeded, and the control magic let her say all the things she otherwise wouldn't. So, the spell would allow her to do or say things which in her mind were be helpful to her mission. What she needed to do was get the right command from Seeker, and then act upon it.

"What did the test of the rings with Chill Touch show, master?"

"Not much, she didn't really touch me. The restorative magic inside the rings didn't exactly come to play," Seeker sighed, "I couldn't give her too much freedom to act, though. Even low-tier wizards are dangerous when left unchecked."

"How about somepony who could hurt you but couldn't prevent you from teleporting away afterwards?"

"What do you have in mind?"

"The Contradiction mare. You saw what she did to my body when you transported me back here. If you say she'll never be able to use magic, you can just let her rip your leg off while a contingency spell returns both of us here in an instant. On top of that, I have no doubt she'll be looking for us now that we've targeted her boss. I think she has a serious crush on him."

Seeker rubbed his chin.

"That isn't actually a bad idea. You _are_ learning something from me, earthpony. I think I have good enough way to tap into the rings' power to recover from a harsh wound. Yes, let's do it. Knowledge sometimes requires sacrifice. Do you have an idea how to go about it?"

"I can trail her. Give me a way to contact you so that you can teleport to me quickly."

"Won't she notice you?"

"I _am_ bigger than a well-built earthpony, mainly in one spot you like," Shield stuck her tongue out at Seeker who facehoofed, "but I'm also a trained guard. Secret surveillance is basic training for us. From what you said, the Silver Sun order only offers combat training and the law knowledge or utility skills official guards learn must be supplied by police of guard instructors later. She shouldn't be used to somepony following her. We can attack her when she is alone."

"Alright," Seeker agreed after thinking for a moment, "Just keep these things in mind - we definitely need to avoid witnesses, and our goal isn't to kill her... for now. Of course, if you find a completely out of the way spot we can get rid of her and her presumed investigation as well as testing the rings out - two birds with one stone and so on."

Shield nodded, lying down on the floor deep in thought. When Seeker returned to his work with Cromach's blood samples, she tore a page out of the book about magic she was reading, her tail secretly taking a pen from a workbench above her. Her attempt to write _'A guy named Secret Seeker is behind all this'_ was stopped just as the command to write it with her mouth emerged in her mind. She needed some seemingly unrelated, but guiding, words. There was an obviously important book Seeker was working with all this time into which she peeked once before being forbidden from doing it again. However, what Seeker wasn't aware of, which clearly showed he was used to working alone, was that when he was deep in thought he tended to speak to himself.

Shield smiled, and scribbled a single sentence. Word by word, and two numbers.

Hoping Contradiction's brain was as good at thinking as it was at crushing things telekinetically, Shield slipped the note into her book about simple magic she knew Seeker would never open again due to it being way below his level. She still needed one final little thing, however, because there was no way the control spell would allow her to simply give the note to Contradiction. Perhaps she should push her new helpful nature further?

"Got any chewing gum, master?"

"What is it now?" Seeker turned away from his project, clearly annoyed.

"My mouth just feels so... dry," she licked her lips, giving Seeker a steamy gaze, "Something soft wouldn't go amiss... or something hard."

"Are _you_ actually trying to make a move on me?" he asked, now suspicious.

"I've just had my ass kicked into Tartarus and back by another mare. My pride is down in the dumps. I'd like to know I'm at least better at something than the damn Contraception mare or whatever her name was. Something your totally-not-for-enjoyment enhancements are good for. Perhaps as a soothing reward for my ego for my successful mission, hmmm?"

"That is unusual. How about after I'm done with this," he nodded to his workbench, "for tonight?"

"Don't you want to know how much better it's going to be when I actually want it," Shield took a deep breath, bracing for the bolt of pleasure she knew would come, " _maaaaaster_."

Shield's tail whipped her flank loudly.

"You know, it's been a long and trying night. You _do_ deserve something, and the tests take time anyway," Seeker dropped his robe, stepping away from the bench.

Shield nodded towards the clean steel table in the middle of the room where she'd been stitched back together a mere hour ago.

"Up there, and on your back, master," she made a show of licking her foreleg slowly.

When the unicorn climbed up and spread his legs, Shield's muzzle went to town on his crotch with more gusto than she would have ever expected herself to muster.

She told herself it was because she needed to cement his trust in her, to be allowed to get away with small transgressions against the spell. To keep a stallion's balls empty so that his mind would follow. Deep down she knew, though, especially after seeing the pegasus golem in the sewers, that what the controlling magic did to her whenever she served Seeker was the only pleasure she had left. There was no possible good ending to her story, and she needed all the little victories she could get.


	16. Insanity: Abuse

Knock knock knock!

"Sir, an urgent message for you."

Knock knock knock!

"Sir, I know you're there. The receptionist told me you came back in the morning and haven't left."

Knock knock knock!

"Come on, sir! If I miss another delivery they'll dock my pay," the knocker turned desperate.

Astray finally opened the hotel room door, greeting the nervous mailpony with bloodshot eyes and downtrodden expression. It was his day to rest up so he would be ready- no, so he could survive another two day and night shifts in the hospital. Sleeping was difficult already with images of sir Cromach's smashed body still going on against all probability, dead ponies on the inner side of his eyelids staring at him with milky white eyes, and the absolute certainty that there were even worse things in his future. A nervous mailpony knocking on his door wasn't helping in the slightest.

Despite his complete exhaustion, Astray conjured up a friendly expression.

"Can I help you?" he asked, groaning.

"An express message from Manehattan, sir. To be delivered to any of these ponies - miss Bubbles, mister Astray, or miss Anvil."

From Manehattan? New orders?

"I'm Astray," the satyr opened the palm of his hand into which a letter was promptly put.

"Sign here, please," the courier presented a notepad and a pen tethered to it. Astray scratched something remotely resembling his name on it and shoved it back, "Thank you, sir."

The letter sealed with official Order seal was surprisingly short.

 _Dear trio of utter failures,_

 _Since it's blatantly obvious Cromach is in the same situation whether or not you are there, I'm revoking my orders. It's clear I gotta train you till you beg whatever monstrosity nearly got my boss killed for death._

 _Get your sorry asses back here._

 _Contradiction_

Astray sighed. On one hand, he was happy the hellish patrol schedule was over. On the other, he knew his team leader was slowly getting fed up with everything he did wrong. The satyr was sure that the return order wasn't a relief, but rather a door from one nightmare to another.

But hey, at least he'd get some real sleep again.

"What are _you_ doing here?" Anvil asked, standing on guard at the door to sir Cromach's new room, "You were barely walking when you left a while ago. I'm not letting you drink any more Red Buffalo on shift."

Bubbles, resting on a bench next to the door, opened one eye.

"Good news, everypony," Astray waved Contradiction's letter, "or news, at least. We're being recalled back to Manehattan. Contradiction is _pissed off_."

Anvil snatched the letter from his hand and read it. She facepalmed.

"This can't end well, can it?"

"I doubt it. Well, _you_ two will be fine. You actually can pass her crazy training."

Anvil patted his shoulder.

"I'll help."

Astray blinked. Did he hear her right? Anvil withdrew her hand without saying anything more.

"Yaaay!" Bubbles sat up, "You're not mad anymore."

Anvil looked away.

"I... I still think you are doing more than you can handle, but I realized in the sewers where my weapon was mostly useless that I need to broaden my horizons. There might be something to the overall training you are undertaking. You are going about it the wrong way, your stupid self-destructive way, but for all it is worth, I was wrong... happy?"

Astray's mouth gaped, his eyes following suit. Bubbles' claw poked his leg. He shook his head.

"I'll say something dumb if I think about it too long," he looked at the floor, "So you just be you, and I'll keep being me."

"I thought you said only if you thought about it too long," Anvil grinned. Bubbles growled at her, "I didn't mean that... for once."

Awkward silence descended on the duo.

"Ummm," Astray broke it, "Look, I'm not used to ponies... mares especially being nice to me so I don't know what to say," he laughed nervously, "Let's not get too sunshine and rainbows about things too quickly. I'm sure I'll screw something up soon so you can yell at me. Let me talk to sir Cromach. I need to tell him we're leaving, and ask... some personal things."

Anvil wordlessly nodded, leaving her gatekeeper post and sitting down on the bench next to Bubbles.

"You're a nice lady," the demonette said.

"Being 'nice' doesn't help you up north," Anvil gave her a serious look, "Frostwolves don't care how friendly you are, only how you taste. Blizzards don't care about your personality, they test your strength and endurance. Snow has no mercy. To survive in the snow, you need to become snow."

"I care," Bubbles put her muzzle in Anvil's lap, "and you're not cold."

"I wonder how soon that's gonna kick me in the ass," the minotaur frowned.

Astray entered the dark room with its solitary patient. Despite being just over seven o'clock in summertime, the thick curtains were doing their job perfectly, and the only reason why Astray could see anything was the light coming in from the hall. Walking over to the softly breathing griffon, Astray-

"AAH!"

-yelped as talons wrapped around his hand.

"Heheh," Cromach chuckled, "Always make sure everyone underestimates you. Makes things a lot easier in the long run if they're wrong. What's going on? I thought your shift was over for today."

"Miss Contradiction is recalling us back to Manehattan. She apparently wasn't too happy with our failure protecting you and wants us there for 'more training'. We deserve it, I think, for messing this and the sewers up. I'm really sorry."

"You're too harsh on yourself, Astray. The sewers were more my fault than yours. I thought it would be just a little fun, just something to distract me from paperwork... I thought I was with B- some of my old friends. I thought you were my old team."

"I'm sorry we aren't, sir."

Cromach's talons grasped Astray's hand tighter.

"You can't be, and I should have known. You had no experience and very little training. Considering that, you did pretty well. As for Black Shield, that was the name of the undead pony Connie fought in my room, you couldn't have stopped her. Be very happy it was Connie who fought her and not any of you three. She would have likely killed you all if you tried to stop her. The worst part is that Connie probably isn't in the right frame of mind to realize you _couldn't_ have known she was inside the room unless you randomly looked. She was silent, quick, and extremely good at what she was doing. From what I asked some doctors, nopony found her after the incident. That means somepony got her away, because she sure as hay couldn't have left on her own, not after Connie put her through a grinder. Probably the mage who was with Black Shield at the ceremony."

"How do you deal with it, sir?"

"Huh, with what?"

"How can you take this as normal? You nearly get killed... twice, and you just go into a detective mode thinking only about what connections and clues you might have missed. I can't sleep even now. Every time I close my eyes I see the dead ponies from the sewers staring at me. I see acid burning Bubbles and Anvil over and over and over and over. Every time I wake up in cold sweat, _knowing_ that if anything went more wrong I would now be a part of that pile of corpses."

"Nah," Cromach waved his foreleg.

"What do you mean?" Astray blinked at Cromach's unbothered response.

"I think she would have made you into a new flesh golem. You're too unique to be in the pile."

"SIR! I'm serious. I'm not cut out to be a hero, I don't have it in me. I get the shakes whenever I realize there might be something much worse we'll eventually have to deal with. I can't do it."

"And yet you're still here. Your team leader considers you a waste of oxygen, your teammate thinks you're an idiot and refuses to help you, hoping you'll leave and she'll have somepony better around, you get beaten up every day by the best martial artist in the whole world. Nopony is forcing you to stay here. You aren't under any contract or obligation. And yet... you are still here. I should be asking YOU - why?"

Astray thought long and hard, and realized he didn't have a clear answer. The closest he could get to it was:

"You, mister Cross, and Bubbles, sir," he scratched his chin nervously, "You are such good ponies, well, you know what I mean. I can't put a finger on it, but mister Cross doesn't have a single evil or selfish bone in him. Grandmaster Antares is different. You, sir, you inspire ponies around to push themselves beyond their limits. I feel like if we weren't here you would have gone to do all the fighting against darkness alone. I just can't have that, I feel like I need to help in any way I can because I have more worth as a sacrifice for one of you than as an alive coward. And Bubbles, she would fight some ancient evil if it threatened a pony who once offered her a dog biscuit and a scratch behind the ear. In short, I'd be much happier if Anvil and Bubbles, even miss Contradiction despite hating me, were protected by some experienced knight of princess Celestia who can fight, do magic, and more amazing things, but there is none... there is just me."

"So," Cromach gave him a mischievous smile, "No ogling Anvil in the shower?"

"I still have both my eyes and miscellaneous male-only equipment," Astray chuckled, "So no, no ogling Anvil in the shower. Besides, she walks around naked anyway."

Cromach sat up, hissing in pain.

"Damn, healing fast but still not there," he muttered, "Well, Astray... the truth is I've never really thought about it. I'm more the action type than the planning one, that was Blaze. All that saving the world, being one of the few able, and that's a big overexaggeration, to save the world happened on its own. All I wanted was to live with my coltfriend and be happy. As it turned out, he had a lot of baggage in his past we had to deal with. When I look back on it now, it was worth every scar, every moment I thought I would crap myself, every nightmare keeping me awake for nights. Heh, I thought running away through a desert without any supplies or equipment while Griffon Imperial Legion hunted me down would be the worst thing to happen to me. Boy was I wrong," the griffon laughed openly.

"What was the worst?" Astray sat down on a free bed next to Cromach's.

"When I let Blaze cook."

"Sir!"

"Oh come on, lighten up a little," Cromach faked being hurt, "I never thought about the world being in danger. Blaze said it right - we weren't heroes, we were just in the right place at the right time. All I thought about at each point was this - when we get back to Canterlot, I'm pounding that plot till he screams my name."

Astray blushed, and Cromach continued.

"You see, we are naturally selfish. Fighting for greater good all the time will leave you unsatisfied and bitter, because most of the time nopony knows about what you're doing. They will never know that the fact that they woke up today is because of you. Eventually, that will wear down everypony. Find something that makes you happy, no matter how strange or small it might seem, and tell yourself all the fighting is for that one little thing. For me, it was love. For you, at least now, it is just the feeling that you can't leave us alone in all this mess. Eventually, maybe it'll be for a healthy dose of minotaur cleavage, who knows?"

"The only cleavage would be with Anvil's axe, sir," Astray's imagination got the better of him for a moment. Then harsh reality returned, "You still didn't answer me. What was the worst?"

"Hmm," Cromach tapped his beak thoughtfully, "To be honest, it kinda graduated from bad to worse. At all times I thought it couldn't get worse, and yet I kept being wrong. You see, the first time Blaze and I met was after I ran away from the Empire to Equestria. I thought he was a pickpocket, but he was really cute so I tailed him in order to catch him in the act and blackmail him into some sexy times. That doesn't sound too heroic, does it now? Well, he definitely wasn't trying to steal from anypony, he was trying to kill himself," Cromach looked at Astray with a very serious expression, "Do you understand? We aren't heroes, and we never were."

Astray's breathing grew ragged, all his own lonely thoughts from before he joined the Order returning, but now from a different perspective. He nodded, and Cromach continued once again.

"Blaze had a soul of a powerful dark mage locked inside his head at the time. He tried to hide it from me and his few friends, but we found out despite him trying to deal with it all alone. He succeeded, but at the cost of his life."

"I thought he died recently, sir."

"Well yes, he died several times, but was always resurrected by higher power wanting to use him for its own goals. That time he was raised as a flesh golem, a soul trapped inside a durable undead body," Cromach recalled something, "I still don't know if that makes me technically a necrophile. What do you think?"

"I think you are handling being in constant danger much better than I would."

"Pfff, it gets easier after the first two or three ancient evils set on plunging the world into eternal darkness. Speaking of the end of times, the second time I thought Blaze died for real was when a god named Nightmare possessed a unicorn and forcibly ascended him into an alicorn. Blaze, whom everypony thought dead, planned out a minotaur invasion into Equestria, united the clans, and founded the northern capital city of the minotaur clans now called Rift. That was only several years ago. Everypony including me thought him insane and danger to all ponies. Everypony but his friend and the pony responsible for the rebuilding of our Silver Sun - Heavy Hoof," Cromach shook his head, "Blaze lured the possessed alicorn into a situation which killed both of them."

The griffon took a sip of water from a glass on his bedside table.

"As I said, he died multiple times, never knowing if what he did was enough. After this death, he was ascended into alicornhood by a god named Harmony who wanted to manipulate him into being his avatar of perfection. An overly paranoid pony like Blaze didn't eat all the sweettalking whatsoever, and when we finally met again we worked through me betraying him, considering him evil and insane, and so on. In the end, we faced Harmony himself together, with Shadowstep, Cross, and their squad, with our old Order team under Connie. That time, Blaze was killed by a force capable of preventing his return," when Cromach raised his head again, Astray could see his reddening, wet eyes, "And you know what? All I got out of it was that I could say that I was there until the end. I did everything I could. It wasn't enough, and I cursed myself for months until Connie snapped me out of it, but I had to realize I did all I could before moving on. What I'm trying to say and is taking me forever because I want you... no, I need you to understand because you are so similar to him, is that I loved every moment with him and I don't regret any horrors I had to go through to be with him. He found somepony like me, somepony who would go to Tartarus and back for him, and that means so can you. There IS light at the end of the tunnel, and it's not an approaching train."

"I still don't know, sir. It feels so unreal that somepony this revered by everypony around him would-"

"Do you know what his favourite question was?"

"What, sir?"

"Why are you sleeping here with _me_ , Cro, when you could find ten better ponies around every dumpster in Canterlot? It wasn't a joke, Astray, not even in the end. He actually believed it no matter what I did or said. That... that one single thing hurt more than any wound I sustained in any fight. The fact that I was powerless to change that one crippling thing about him. It was something he needed to change himself, nopony else could force it, we could only nudge him in the right direction."

"I..." Astray's head was spinning. The world inside his head was being turned upside down, "I think I'll just take it day after day, be the free scratchies dispenser for Bubbles and the butt of Anvil's jokes, and work on myself. I can't do most of the things you or the others want me to do, but I can at least try."

"Glad to hear that. When you start truly living those words, you'll make peace with yourself."

"Thank you for the pep talk, sir," Astray stood up, "but I should go. The others are waiting for me, and miss Contradiction will surely have some snappy remarks no matter how on time we return."

"Yeah, don't be too harsh on her either. She's been through a lot just like any of us."

Nodding, Astray left. Only out in the hallway he realized something that might or might not have been important. What Comach had said wasn't only meant for him, those were words the griffon cursed himself for not having found while his lover was still alive.

He looked at Anvil and Bubbles. The minotaur was idly stroking Bubbles' mane while the half-demon mare snoozed in her lap.

"Let's go, guys."


	17. Insanity: Abuse II

A pegasus wearing an official dark blue suit walked through the train car hall, stopping before the first door, knocking on it, and after not recieving any response slid the door open. It was his job to periodically check the passengers' tickets in case of any new stowaways, and he would be a pretty awful at his job if a silent coupe stopped him.

He _did_ stop, however, at the sight greeting him, smirk growing on his muzzle.

A very distinct trio of passengers were sleeping on the floor. One was grey-maned half pony, half some sort of minotaur with strange head, likely a male. He was in the middle, squeezed by a muscular arm wrapped around his back and pressing him tightly against the leftmost sleeper - a female minotaur with coat of dark yellow and brown melding together. From what the pegasus had seen during his years on the job, the minotaur wasn't as big or bulky as the occasional males looking for adventure down here in the south, but definitely overshadowing even the strongest earthponies. He tilted his head, peeking at the half-pony biped's head buried in the minotaur's cleavage, a small stab of jealousy running through him.

"Even bigger than the legendary Trottingham milkmare's," the pegasus muttered in disbelief.

The final occupant was either an earthpony with claws on her forelegs or a hippogriff without wings. Her lean and smaller form was closer to the latter, and the pegasus was happy to see somepony even remotely normal. Her coat was rusty through and through, but golden freckles dotted her body all over, sometimes making star-like constellations. He couldn't help smiling as she, in the cutest way possible for somepony fast asleep, shifted on her back and wrapped one foreleg around the strange biped's waist.

The pegasus regretted having to wake them up, but- nevermind. He noticed three tickets on the windowside table. Time for some tiphoofing and validating them. Using his wings for balance, he slipped around the rusty mare, quietly punched the tickets, and took his first step back to the open door when the mare turned on her side, hugging his leg with her forelegs tightly. She bit down lightly on it with her muzzle, mumbling.

"Muh Astry..."

The cuteness was lost on the poor pegasus who _felt_ the razor-like teeth on his skin before seeing them. Just like the others, this was no pony in the end. As he tried to pull away, she bit down harder. Thankfully, still not drawing blood. The pegasus looked around for anything that would save him from having to wake the mare up and possibly losing an entire fetlock. He decided on a risky move, pressing his wing against the mare's nose and tickling it with his feathers. She took a deep breath, let go of his fetlock which he withdrew instantly, and-

SNAP!

-closed her mouth like a bear trap.

Cold sweat dripping down his forehead, the pegasus left the deceptively peaceful scene of the three sleepers, closing the door behind him.

The trio, having rested through the whole not-interrupted-at-all ride from Canterlot to Manehattan were now before the task of reporting they were back home to Contradiction. The reasons for their hesitation were the obviously unfriendly letter, the mess inside Cromach's office, and the smell coming from its only inhabitant - the black, white-maned mare whose eye started twitching the second they opened the door.

"Aaah, glad you're back. Here's to hoping my boss didn't get in harm's way after you left," Contradiction levitated a shot glass of something and downed it in one gulp. Everyone realized Cromach's liquor cabinet in the corner was open, steel lock twisted out of the wood, "Oh wait, that wouldn't have changed anything. Hahah hahahah..."

"Hey-" Anvil started. Astray immediately put a hand on her back when he saw Connie's gaze sharpen and snap straight at the minotaur. The unicorn's expression clearly stated - 'Just one word, give me _any_ excuse! Anything... pleeeeeease.'

"Contradiction, ma'am," Astray saluted, taking charge, "We're reporting our return from Canterlot. As soon as we unpack we are ready for new orders."

Connie shot Astray an annoyed glance for his interruption, but the satyr just stood at attention, staring at a point somewhere on the wall behind his team leader. He only hoped Anvil got the message.

"You got him hurt so bad, and he finally asked me out..." Connie whispered, shaking her head. It probably was aimed more at herself, but everyone heard, "I told you I'd kill you if you let anything more happen to him," she breathed out, "But no... no no no no... you don't deserve the easy way out. I'll make you useful, or I'll make you disappear. Heh heheh..."

They watched the rambling unicorn with widening eyes. Anvil was only half-consciously twitching her fingers ready to grasp the warmace strapped on her back along with her backpack.

"Ma'am?" Astray asked carefully, "Can we help?"

"HELP?" Connie barked, "No, thanks. You've _helped_ enough. Get out of my sight. With Cromach away I'm swamped with work already. I'll think of a way to punis- train you later, but trust me, you will rue the day you didn't put your bodies in the way of whatever sent him to hospital in the first place."

"May I say something?" Anvil asked in a firm voice.

"Do you like having your tongue and teeth?" Connie gave her an ear-to-ear smile, "If you do, the exit's right there," the door slammed open, "If you love soup so much you'd like to sip it, and only it, for the rest of your life then, by all means, keep talking."

"Please?" Astray whispered, nudging Anvil.

The minotaur just saluted again, ushering everyone out and closing the door behind her.

"We have a problem," she stated simply.

"Yeah," Astray nodded.

The trio's night wasn't as restless as Astray expected after seeing Contradiction visibly teetering on the edge of sanity yesterday evening. In fact, everyone, after enjoying late dinner at the cantine, simply relaxed in a long bath after over a week spent in a cheap motel with barely warm water in the shower. Anvil even offered a massage to Astray herself despite him being only tired from lack of sleep and not physical training. Everything felt almost too good.

Of course, that changed in the morning, when Contradiction arrived at the usual time for physical exercises, taking the group back behind the mansion to sargeant Cross' personal gauntlet. If that was the worst the unicorn had in mind for the group, then Astray could let out a breath of relief. He knew he was likely to pass out at the end of this exercise, but that was nothing unusual by this point. Anvil didn't look as threatened as yesterday, instead watching Connie twitching with nervous energy with unimpressed, stony expression.

The unicorn presented four collars and immediately put one around her neck. Anvil and Astray did the same without thinking while Bubbles growled at her own before realizing she wasn't inside the tower anymore and was surrounded by friends. When all collars were put on, they clicked and tightened up, although not to the point of discomfort. Astray suddenly had a very bad feeling about everything, knowing he should have asked about the things first. He just hadn't wanted to provoke Contradiction even further.

Seeing everyone was set up, Connie said cheerfully:

"Good morning, walking corpses. Since you fucked up everything I told you to do we're going to need more TRAINING. This time it's gonna be a race, and we ain't stopping while you can still see."

Inside his mind, Astray shrugged. That was just about what he'd imagined. Race, though? Was the loser going to scrub the bathrooms? The winner, of course, would be Bubbles, no doubt about that. And the last one would be him, there was even less doubt. He sighed. So, he would go to bed an hour or two later than usual. Big deal. There was only one question left.

"What's with the collars then?" Anvil asked it first.

"Heh heheh heh eh," Connie wiped a tear of madness off of her eyes, "Those are shock collars. The last one to finish a round is getting a little love tap. I'm not gonna show you how strong the shock is going to be. Mostly, because I don't want to spoil the surprise and lose my chance to enjoy your screaming, but also so that you don't pass out before we even start."

"Alright, that's illegal," Anvil stepped forward angrily.

"The exit is right over there," Connie's singsong answer was followed by her pointing to the gate cutting the Order gardens off from Manehattan.

"That's not going to work, now, is it?" Astray crossed his arms on his chest, "No matter what sadistic idea you've got for us it's not going to work. I'm going to drop off first, so yeah, there's your punishment. But you're next. Anvil's not gonna get shocked once, Bubbles definitely not, so why don't you just stop this nonsense, break my leg or something, and stop pretending your problem is with anyone other than me?"

"Huh," Connie raised an eyebrow, "When did your balls drop?"

Astray didn't answer, which wiped the manic smile off of Connie's muzzle and replaced it with a scowl.

"This isn't only about you, not by far," she poked his abdomen with her hoof, "And if you think I'm not serious, then you'll just have to see. You three almost single-hoofedly destroyed this Order by nearly causing the death of the griffon holding all this together. YOU-"

"According to sir Cromach's own words," Astray said calmly, "It was his fault for taking such inexperienced members like us on that-"

"SHUT UP!" Connie screamed, white glow enveloping Astray and throwing him towards the first part of Cross' training course, "And run... or I'll fry you," she tapped her collar.

Before Astray could stand back up, Connie was already _leaping_ over a climbing wall. Bubbles whizzed past like a rusty blur, only using her claws to push herself up on the wall once before disappearing past it. Anvil grabbed his hand, pulled him up while running, and started climbing the rope. She wanted to help more, but Contradiction needed to be taught a lesson and if Astray was to be the necessary sacrifice, then so be it.

The satyr whispered a thank you before grabbing a rope next to Anvil's and climbing as well. As he got up, he realized Contradiction was serious. The not too physically gifted mare was now ahead of Bubbles, using unnaturally long jumps instead of galloping, and clearing any high obstacle in one fell swoop.

Astray got three-quarters into the course when Anvil cleared the starting line, beginning her second lap.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" he screamed his lungs out.

Wrecking pain made him lose control of his body, causing him to fall like a bag of potatoes from a wooden stepladder onto the hard ground. He twitched, lightning coursing through his nerves. He had no control over himself, only seeing red. Blood poured out of his mouth from biting his cheek, making him taste nothing but iron. It took him minutes to get back on his legs and slip under barbed wire mesh he was supposed to crawl beneath. The second lap was on.

"Oh -huff- and if you're -huff- behind more than one round -haaah- it gets better!" Connie, _sliding_ on the ground next to him followed by Bubbles kicking her hind legs so hard dirt was flying.

Astray's survival instinct kicked in, adrenaline fueling his desperate crawl under the wiring.

His world dissolved into gasping for breath and blurry outlines surrounding him. If he was in shape to notice, he would have realized he finished the course much faster than ever before. Sometimes he even saw Anvil's back when she got stuck on some obstacle too difficult for her due to her size. But-

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

-it was just as he'd prophesized. He _was_ the one with the least strength and stamina. Nevertheless, the second shock wasn't as bad as the first one. Perhaps he was getting too tired to feel it, or the adrenaline worked miracles, or maybe he just got used to it, but he kept going.

The third shock came sooner than expected, but he was still able to recover and go on. Unfortunately, Connie and Bubbles passed him again, meaning they were two rounds ahead. Anvil was close behind them, focused, silent, and drenched with sweat. Her endurance was slowly breaking even with the mad dash of the first two, but that only meant Astray was too behind.

Then Anvil started another lap, meaning he was two laps behind everyone else.

She was the only one to stop and turn in horror as she heard the high-pitched screech of someone gone in a second. She smelled the burst of ozone coming from behind her. She heard the crackling of electricity. All she could do, though, was hope that Astray fell unconscious in the first instant and the rest was only the reaction of his tortured body, because she hadn't heard a scream of pain this... real ever before. It was as if physical boiling agony bubbled out of Astray's throat.

On the other hand, if Anvil could just last long enough, Contradiction would feel the same thing she did to him.

"I'll make sure to shove one of the collars up your cunt for this before I win," Anvil promised to herself, picking up the pace.

She rushed like never before. Cross' obstacles were designed for an equine which meant some were difficult for her, but quite a lot of them, when she got the hang of it, became much easier. She still wasn't fast enough, and the penalty for being the last to finish the round caught up with her. She shrugged it off, but panic started creeping up her spine. The shocks not only punished failure, but the pain and damage meant that she would stay behind until she dropped.

There was a fire burning inside her even hotter than the electricity searing her nerves each round. She got closer and closer to Connie and Bubbles. Now, if she could only last a little bit longer, Contradiction would be the one in the back, and Anvil knew, no matter what dirty trick the unicorn was using to conserve her usually lackluster stamina, she wouldn't last.

She didn't really even register the final shock, her legs just stopped working just as she was almost on par with the unicorn. What she _did_ do, though, was grab Connie's hind leg, causing her to fall as well.

"You were... a worthy... opponent... but I'll... make sure... you... fry... too," Anvil chuckled.

Connie kicked her hand away, but Bubbles was gaining a lead which was going to be insurmountable.

"YOU, on the other hoof, are not worthy of being in my team. Cromach's stab wounds all over his body are a clear sign of that," Contradiction rushed off.

Anvil couldn't move anymore. Her body relaxed while the other two finished the next round. Sadly, that only meant she felt the full extent of the shock collar's power. At least it didn't last long. Vision fading, Anvil allowed herself a smile. There was no way Bubbles would lose after her little... help.

Connie realized it soon enough, stopping by Anvil's unconscious form. Her nose was bleeding profusely, her legs were trembling, and her horn felt numb. She didn't have problems with using her telekinesis in massive bursts, but long, sustained springs under her hooves, constant assisted jumps, and basically the equivalent of gliding through crawling-based obstacles were too much.

She kicked the minotaur softly, not having the energy to do more. She tried again, visions of one bleeding griffon being choked and tossed around by unnatural tail running through her brain on repeat. Remembering it hurt so much, more than anything ever before. She barely noticed the shock as Bubbles finished the round. Her body was going numb and cold.

"I HATE YOU! I HATE ALL OF YOU! YOU DESERVE TO BURN, TO BE RIPPED TO PIECES JUST SO YOU'D UNDERSTAND HOW I FEEL EVERY TIME I HAVE TO TAKE A BREATH KNOWING HE'S AWAY FROM ME IN SOME STUPID UNGUARDED HOSPITAL. YOU ROTTEN, USELESS, PIECES OF SHI-"

Bubbles finished another round. The enhanced punishment struck Connie mid-word, but she hardly felt it. It was nothing compared to seeing her griffon with tubes sticking out of his body and Black Shield's tail pumping blood out of him.

Her body disagreed.

Bubbles stopped when her collar clicked open and dropped on the ground. She, of course, heard Contradiction's insults. Her reason for trying so hard not to lose this time was different, though. It wasn't fun, it wasn't easy like all the times before. This time she needed to win, to outlast Connie, if only to show her that she didn't have to be so mad at them all the time. To show here that they messed up but can do better in the future.

And in the end she won. Tired and hurting, but won. Her back was bleeding from going through the crawling obstacles too fast, her hind legs were burning from jumping over too high obstacles over and over, her heart was beating like a machine gun, and her breathing was ragged. In her sad shape, she checked Astray first. As it turned out, Connie's threats were mostly just threats. Considering the reactions, Bubbles was worried her friends were seriously hurt, but now that she examined the unconscious satyr she couldn't see any significant burn marks. There were dark smoldering trails on the skin in places, but it seemed to her that the collars were supposed to cause immense pain, not physical harm.

When she ascertained that Anvil was passed out but breathing evenly and without blood coming from her mouth like Astray had, she walked over to Connie and sat down by her side. She nudged the limp unicorn with her muzzle without any effect. She knew what the real problem was, or who. It had all begun with her not being able to think properly under the assault of smells that almost physically hurt her. She'd panicked and attacked the undead pegasus without thinking and knowing anything about him. That was what mister Cross taught them every time. Every little lesson was in some way focused on dealing with the unknown side of the enemies. She had completely forgotten it in the heat of the moment. She had disabled herself in the sewers, forced Anvil to go save her and do a battle roar in order to get the pegasus' attention, distracting sir Cromach. Miss Contradiction had slipped past her in the hospital using the simplest trick a foal could see through. Bubbles knew that all this, from the beginning to the end, was her fault.

"I'm sorry, miss Connie," she slung the unicorn over her back, carrying her off once again into the shade, "I'm really sorry. I wish you could just yell at me, leave the others alone, and feel better in the end, but I guess it's not that easy. I don't understand difficult things. I'm just... a dumb animal that can only play fetch. I got confused by a thrown vase, after all. I only hope you can get over this and feel better when sir Cromach is back here with us. Then you can be nice again and we can play all evening like we did when I first arrived."

She laid Connie down by the mansion wall still in the shade from a roof overhang.

"If you can give me one more chance, I'll be like Astray. I'll try harder and work my plot off. I just need time. You know that when I first got on the train to here I thought the ponies in Canterlot were mad at me and wanted to feed me to a big metal monster? The hissing steam wasn't helping at all," Bubbles licked Connie's nose, "Just have patience with us a little longer, miss, please. I promise I'll become at least a bit smarter in no time. I even read these books with pictures in them now."

Connie, of course, didn't answer. Bubbles stood up, sighed, and went back to the course so she could bring the others here.


	18. Insanity: Abuse III

While the left front lawn was occupied by normals doing their daily exercises under Shadowstep's squad - namely Cross walking between sparring pairs and giving out tips, the right lawn was currently empty barring eight occupants split into fours. The pain of the morning had not been forgotten, but didn't seem to have any lasting consequences, at least from what Astray could feel. Of course, the overtaxed muscles were protesting with each movement as usual.

"Alright," Contradiction said sharply, "it's time for another team practice. I _would_ add these to our daily schedule but I'm afraid my nerves wouldn't survive putting you three into a contest of skill more often," she pointed at four ponies standing as a group nearby, "These guys are a new team put together from those left over by the soon-to-be-leaving Royal Guard applicants. They have very little teamfighting experience together, but each of them was on a team before and they know their roles. Now, prepare your imaginary notepads because there's a lecture coming."

Connie levitated a bottle of water, took a sip, and watched all seven ponies and other miscellaneous creatures sit down into the relative shade of a solitary tree.

"Now, our today opponents, as even you can deduce, are three unicorns and a pegasus. What does it tell you?"

"A lot of magic is going to be involved," Anvil grumbled immediately.

"Great job!" Connie smiled sarcastically, "The pointy things on their heads mean flying stuff, you get a smiley sticker. Last time, I had you deal with the element of surprise on the enemy side and it would have worked out just fine if _someone_ , not naming ash tray there, didn't slip on his own drool and lose us the fight. This time it's going to be different," she nodded to the enemy team, "There are certain classification of pony roles in battle which note their primary function. I'll go over those which will matter to us in this exercise. First, we have a shieldbearer," she pointed at a brown, black-maned unicorn in the enemy team who stood up and bowed to Anvil, Astray, and Bubbles, "These unicorns are specialized on making magical barriers protecting themselves and their teammates. That role in my team was previously occupied by a unicorn noble Leo Goldhorn. Currently, we are missing a crucial member who could protect us in combat like that. Prince Shining Armor is probably the most famous shieldbearer around. These ponies are mostly unicorn fighters with added shielding capabilities."

Connie pointed at the second unicorn who waved at the trio. He was dark red with light brown mane and a cutie mark of scattering bolt of lightning.

"Next up we have a battlemage. They offer less versatility and power as regular wizards, but don't faint when hit by a thrown rock. Consider them, once again, as unicorn fighters with knowledge of various in-combat spells and the concentration to use them in a fight without the need for long preparation. Third, to mix it up a little," she pointed at a black pegasus with grey mane who nodded back, "Is the good old classic archer, i.e. light ranged support. Ponies were never great at long-range non-magical combat due to the grabbing deficiency, but learned a lot from griffons anyway. These days there are tons of hoof-operated crossbows, bows, and various guns, although those are still not too reliable and thus used. Pegasi and thestrals make for the best ranged supports due to their speed, excellent eyesight, and the ability to fly and avoid retaliation. However, as everypony knows, lower bone density of those species that allows them to walk on clouds also means they are more vulnerable to physical damage. Same goes for their naturally less-developed musculature other than around the chest which is generally steel-hard from using wings. So, hit 'em fast, hit 'em hard, and they won't get up again. I'd like to tell you about some famous archer pony, but to be honest, it's a griffon territory mostly. Fortune, though, an old member of my team was pretty good with guns and explosives."

At Connie's beckon, the final member of the enemy team rose up. This one was a good old white and blonde unicorn stereotype, and he was much older than the rest of the team, possibly over forty. He bowed deeply first to Connie and then to her team. Astray noticed his cutie mark was a greatsword on the backdrop of a brightly shining sun. This unicorn was the only pony to whom Contradiction requited the courteous greeting. Without any regard for the heat of the day, he was wearing a full suit of plate armor aside from a winged crusader helmet lying on the ground next to him.

"Well, if you've never heard about the old paladin orders, here you have a living and breathing member. You still breathing, old guy, right?" Connie winked at the big unicorn.

"Indeed I am, miss Contradiction," he smiled warmly.

"This is Lord Bright Star the third, who sometimes assists us in training new recruits and shares new techniques with both branches of the Guard. As a paladin, he is a member of princess Celestia's personal guard, and has knowledge of high-tier light magic as well as some traits gained by living alongside a powerful alicorn. What are you now, hundred and fifty or something?"

"One hundred and sixtry-three, miss Contradiction."

"M-may I ask something?" Astray stuttered, clearly taken aback by the unicorn.

"Of course, young satyr," Bright Star nodded.

Astray dug through his big bag with princess Celestia's set of armor, pulling out a helmet similar to the unicorn's, only shaped for his head. It was heavy, ornate but functional, only with one big issue. Well, small issue.

"How am I supposed to see in it?" he raised it up. The thin slits at the front would make a chineighese pony ask for a white cane.

Star looked from Astray to the helmet and back. Then he said:

"With utmost difficulty, young one. Helmet of this kind are not given away lightly by our princess. While they offer excellent protection for being so lightweight-"

"Lightweight?" Astray interrupted incredulously. That thing was anything but light.

"Have you ever worn a real steel helmet? I doubt you have. The helmet, and if my guess is correct the rest of the armor inside your bag, is made by princess Celestia's personal smith from metals found only in the deepest minotaur mines up north. It is _very_ light in comparison to steel. As for your question, these armors are worn by ponies with great combat experience who must fight enemies such as dragons. We do not need to see everything around us, fight has a flow which we can read from small flickers of information, peripheral vision, and sounds. For somepony as inexperienced as you are, using it would only be a drawback."

"Thank you," Astray put the helmet away and went quiet.

"All done?" Connie asked impatiently. I was clear she didn't want to interrupt Bright Star, but didn't have any qualms with shutting the satyr up. Astray nodded, "Good. The founder of the original paladin orders and the most famous one as well is, of course, princess Celestia herself. These guys spar with her and are basically what we are trying to make of you, only with less 'glorious and holy' approach and more practical 'kill them before they kill us' one. Why, I hear you ask, are you in my team instead of ponies like Bright Star? There _is_ a common denominator to all of us. Our training methods are untested in the long-term, and our enemies are powerful. If we fail... nopony will miss us."

Connie shook her head, stone-cold demeanor returning.

"My old team's composition was a shieldbearer, shieldbreaker, utility, and artillery. Let's focus on the shieldbreaker role, because there's two of us - Anvil and I. We are close-combat fighters who use heavy weapons that can destroy shields in one swoop, very simple. The stronger impact on a unicorn's shield, the bigger the feedback is, however, the area of impact is the most important. I'm not sure how it works, but shields seem to last longer when the physical attack has too much energy and to little weight behind it. That means it's much easier to block a bunch of weak blows or projectiles than something heavy. In terms of guns, the firing speed is the most important thing. That, or having a real cannon."

Nodding to Astray and Bubbles, Connie continued.

"Astray's role is utility, which basically means I have to find a use for you since I don't know what use you can intrinsically be. Bubbles is strange, so we'll pass her classification for now. Speaking of making Astray useful, I'm not a miracle-worker, but this should help," she tossed him a griffon pistol, "It's loaded with quicksilver bullets, Order armorer's secret. They are much better against magical protections and work against divinity. Unlike the lead ones, these do little to nothing against real armor. Against living flesh - sub-par as well, because the bullets are round, not pointed."

"Am I allowed to use my armor?" asked Astray. When Bright Start raised his eyebrow, he added, "Just parts. I would barely move in the full set."

"That's up to you," Connie shrugged, "Well, I think I'm done with the theory. You know all basic information about the opposing team. Usual limitations apply - no lethal spells, I tone down my telekinesis, and Bubbles doesn't bite anypony's leg off along with the armor."

Astray quickly rummaged through his bag again, tossing parts of the platemail on the ground carelessly until he found a set of greaves. It was a pain to put them on for the first time, but with his entire legs covered by the 'light' metal with soft inside padding he felt safer, albeit slower. His logic behind using this specific part of his armor was two-fold. First, ponies usually reached to his abdomen which meant armoring his legs was decent enough protection, unicorns aside. The second reason was this being an exercise - he needed to gradually get used to wearing heavier protection in battle and this was an excellent opportunity. After few careful steps and jumps, he got used to the added weight.

"Leg plates. Good taste," Anvil snickered, "Trying to get more massages out of me by toning your ass?"

"Got it in one," Astray retorted, "Don't think I haven't noticed which part you spend the most time on."

He hadn't. Until now. He hadn't allowed himself to notice before, but... was Anvil attracted to him on some level? She had to be joking, right? She had to be. He was just himself - Astray, there was no way there was more to her ministrations. Maybe Anvil just didn't have time to let off some steam after leaving the north and he was a close target.

"You're still a stick figure, weakling. A real minotaur would show you what a male who doesn't suck looks like."

Yep, still the same old contempt. Or maybe just a little softer. Strangely enough, it didn't really hurt Astray anymore.

"I know, I know," he laughed it off. Perhaps he was just numb to it after so much repetition.

"You'd need run few miles with a polar bear's corpse on your back to build a behind that would interest _me_ ," Anvil grinned, then, surprised with herself, added in a vastly different tone, "But you're in for a good start."

Astray couldn't help himself.

"Are you okay, Anvil? Sick, feverish, dehydrated? Hallucinations?"

"Oh shut up!" the minotaur smacked his head, huffing angrily, "That's what I get for being soft..."

"Alright, enough of this," Contradiction interrupted before either of them could say anything else, "Strategy huddle!"

Bright Star departed to have a talk with his team while Connie approached hers.

"There is a lot of magic on the enemy side this time."

"Great..." grumbled Anvil.

"Welcome to the real world," sneered Connie, "Now, we'll do the usual opening. Bubbles flanks and goes for the battlemage. With the shieldbearer in the back as well, it's not gonna be easy to take him out. The goal is just to keep him from casting spells, though. Anvil, usual front line stuff. Charge good old Bright Star straight up, be prepared to deal with strong telekinesis, a crapton of protective spells, and the ability to heal minor wounds instantly. Same as Bubbles, your goal is not to get taken out. Just pose enough of a threat for the shield spells to have to land on your targets. Astray and I will attack the weakest link - the pegasus. We have excellent means of taking down airborne targets. I'll immobilize him or straight up make him drop and you shoot him. We need to be fast, because we're on a time limit before Anvil gets taken down. Any questions?"

Heads were shaken, and strategy huddle ended. Everyone and everypony took their practice weapons. Astray wasn't sure about his pistol, but believed Connie wouldn't give him anything that could seriously harm a friendly pony. He aimed it, sighted along the barrel, shot at the tree, and examined where the bullet hit.

The teams spread out. As expected, the enemy team took a triangular formation with Bright Star at the front and the pegasus flying above the other three. It was very similar to last time.

"GO!" Connie yelled.

Bubbles blasted off. This time she wasn't just having fun. This time she had a lot to prove, both to herself and to miss Connie. She felt a telekinetic grasp slip past her flicking tail, another, and another. She was faster than the unicorn trying to mentally tackle her could react. She saw a flicker of orange in the corner of her eyes. Pouncing high into the air, she jumped over a wall of fire growing underneath her. A sound like whistling reached her ears before she could drop on the ground. She curled up into a small ball, feeling something whizz past her shrunken form. Unrolling and stabbing one foreleg into the ground to spin around it and face the shocked unicorn wizard nearby, Bubbles wasn't toying with them. She would win this, even if she would be the last one standing. Then miss Connie would finally be nice to everypony again.

Anvil's ear-splitting battle roar made all enemies focus on her. She saw Bubbles dash forward and knew it was her time to occupy the enemies. If she had to be honest with herself, she was up to finding out how she matched against Bright Star himself. She closed the distance before the trio behind the paladin recovered, but her unicorn opponent was more than ready for her. He didn't even bother dodging or blocking Anvil's mace which bounced harmlessly off of his protective spell. Under the appraising stare coming from the eye slots of the crusader helmet, Anvil recalled Cross' words about unicorn attack patterns and turned around just in time to block a greatsword swinging at her. At the same time, an armored hoof hit the back of her knee, forcing her to kneel while pushing against the telekinetically held blade. She immediately forgot about trying to one-v-one the unicorn and hoped she would simply buy enough time as she was supposed to. Pushing herself on one leg, she kicked backwards with the other. After all, armor spells protected you from a weapon penetrating your body, but they didn't give you more weight or stability. And from a low position like this, Anvil could punt a pony like a hoofball.

Astray had no time to admire Bright Star's attempt to become a pegasus, because he had a real pegasus to deal with. The flying pony's movements restrained by Connie's telekinesis, Astray aimed and pulled the trigger. Blue barriers surrounded the pegasus, slowing the bullets down but still shocking the target enough to completely stop resisting and be dragged on the ground by Connie. Astray approached the grounded enemy quickly, but much more carefully. That saved him when the pegasus jumped up, hearing him approach, and spun around with his wings covered in steel razors spread out. Horseshoe blades slipped out from his forehooves and he pounced at Astray. The satyr's longsword impacted against the attacker without hurting him, deflected by a blue shimmer hugging his body.

"I'll show you what a shieldbreaker does," Astray heard Connie closing in.

Astray _felt_ the impact like a wave of cold water originating from the pegasus.

"NOW!" Connie called out.

His body acted on reflex and his armored leg greeted the stunned pegasus' muzzle. One down.

Anvil swung at Bright Star. Her mace stopped mid-air, surrounded by the unicorn's pristine white telekinetic aura. He flourished his greatsword behind him at the same time to gain momentum, and counterattacked.

His body flinched and the blade stopped mid-strike when hit by the last three bullets from Astray's pistol. None were able to penetrate Star's plate armor, but the feedback from the paladin's protective spell confused him a little. Anvil didn't need much time to recover, spinning around and hitting the unicorn with a wide swing. He tried to block with his leg, but the force of the blow sent him rolling away. Anvil approached, seeing the unicorn's leg was bent in an unnatural angle, and that blood was gushing from the holes in the platemail. Golden glow enveloped the broken limb, and Bright Star jumped up with a relieved sigh.

"We're not done, young lady," his greatsword gently tapped Anvil's shoulder from behind.

"Ah dammit!" she cursed.

"I'll let it slide just this time. You were only worried that you seriously wounded me in a training situation," Star bowed, glowing sword at the ready in front of him.

Anvil nodded, raising her mace again.

"Let's do this!"

Bubbles was simply too fast. The battlemage was levitating a heavy quarterstaff with both ends reinforced by steel like it was a toothpick, but she could avoid it, duck under wide swings, and follow the random teleportations around the battlefield. Small craters littered the demolished lawn this far away from the other combatants. Bubbles had a plan, which was to get her target into an isolated situation, and it was working. Slowly, but working. Having to focus on creating a gap between him and Bubbles, recasting armor spells Bubbles destroyed with one attack, levitating a staff, and using offensive spells was clearly too taxing on the unicorn. He stumbled after his next teleport spell didn't recieve enough power and dropped him only a short distance away from the terror with teeth following him with inequine speed. That was all Bubbles needed to pounce at him, take his neck into her teeth, and squeeze softly. He tapped the ground, completely spent. Two down.

Seeing Anvil struggling against Bright Star, Astray flanked the unicorn, sword about to swing and...

...a blue dome split him off from everyone else, leaving him with Star and the shield expert whose horn was letting out a column of sapphire light fueling the dome. Anvil started beating against it with her mace to no avail.

"Did you think four versus two would be easy?" said Bright Star. Astray couldn't see the unicorn's expression behind the crusader helmet, but he knew a smirk had to be part of it.

Quickly turning to the shieldbearer about five ponies away, Astray tossed his empty pistol at him while gaining a little distance on Star. Unfortunately, the satyr's fingers went numb after having to block the first strike of Star's sword. Trying to dodge out of the way of the next swing and get into hand-to-hoof combat proved a bad idea after his bare hand hit a metal helmet. In the next instant, Astray was poked in his back by something sharp. He sat down, being the first one of his team to be defeated.

Everyone covered their ears after the sound of a battering ram sent cracks running through the entire blue dome. They quickly resealed, but the shieldbearer unicorn gasped as if the invisible blow had hit him. Outside the shimmering blue barrier, Connie took a deep breath.

BOOM!

The barrier shattered. The poor unicorn attempting in vain to keep the spell going keeled over, eyes crossing. Bubbles, arriving from the back, was immediately upon him and licked his face as a sign of utter defeat.

Bright Star didn't hesitate in a one versus three situation. His horn flared with brilliant light, making Anvil already rushing at him cover her eyes and hiss. The fraction of a second was enough for him to hit her with his dull practice greatsword in the stomach. Bubbles was tossed away from her second defeated enemy. Then Star's sword met one with equal, if not much greater, force behind it.

Connie was limiting herself, that much was clear when she didn't roll the unicorn into a tiny ball of flesh and metal, but she was still much faster in controlling her oversized blade. Bright Star was experienced, keeping his weapon close to him so that it needed to move a shorter distance to block Connie's wide and powerful strikes. All he needed was to wait for an opening-

"NOM!" new weight landed on his back, a vice-like grip of sharp needles tightening around that little unprotected spot where his helmet juuust didn't reach his neckplate.

Bright Star lowered his blade, drawing a long breath.

"You are a quiet little creature, aren't you?" he said, pulling his helmet off, "Well, I admit my defeat. There is no restorative magic in my repertoire that would allow me to live long enough after this situation to deal with the two of you in real combat."

"YAAAAY!" Bubbles leapt off of Star's back straight at Connie, wrapping her forelegs around her neck, "We did it! You can be nice again!"

Connie shook her off, frowning.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," she turned away, "In real fight, two of us would be dead, gone, never to be seen again. This is NOT a victory. But at least _you_ did a good job."

Bubbles stared at the unicorn walking away. Her lip quivered. She refused to believe miss Connie was a bad pony. She knew the unicorn had a nice side to her. There was just too much to be done still. That had to be the case.

Bright Star patted her head.

"Stay hopeful, miss Bubbles, and the light will find you. You've done very well today."

"I just wish it was enough," she gave the paladin a distressed look.

"Sometimes it never is. Sometimes it just takes time. Be patient."

Bubbles licked his armored hoof.

"Wanna play fetch?"

"I think a bit of relaxation wouldn't go amiss. Gladly."


	19. Insanity: Abuse IV

"What is she planning?" Astray asked as he, several hours later, once again stood in the team training area. The lawn demolished by spell impacts and hoofsteps had been reconstructed in the meantime, and there were five figures already waiting for him, Anvil, and Bubbles. Contradiction had, after the victorious team exercise, told the trio to meet her here later with the words that weapon training with sargeant Cross wasn't happening today.

"I don't know, and I don't like it," Anvil muttered, "She hasn't been right in the head since the sewers."

"Neither do I, but she saw somepony important to her nearly die twice in a row. Sir Cromach asked me to cut her some slack."

"Yeah, well, he should have told _her_ the same thing."

"You know, I'm afraid he did. This is the result."

Bubbles, trotting by their side, didn't join the worried conversation.

"Here you are!" Contradiction nodded at them when they approached, "Hope you're ready for some plotkicking."

"Of whom?" Anvil narrowed her eyes darting from Connie to the four changelings she'd been talking to.

The entire elite squad of changelings helping with Order training was there. Commander Shadowstep, sometimes called the amethyst queen, was a standard queen-type changeling, full with membranous wings, dark purple belly plate, and short mane of the same colour. From what Anvil had heard during her time with the Order, she used to be queen Chrysalis' general some seven hundred years ago when changelings were trying to take over the world. What had surprised her was that apparently not all queen-type changelings were queens, it was just a body evolution for the purpose of leadership. Queens had absolute authority, and used other queen-type changelings for difficult tasks or in case of a wide command structure. Of course, sargeant Cross was there, all in his batpony disguise and smiling warmly at the arriving trio. Grandmaster Antares nodded at Astray who bowed his head. The last 'changeling' wore a disguise of a white unicorn with blue-ish purple mane wearing make-up and trinkets all over her body. Anvil knew her as Starlight, and the trio had never trained with her because she was a magic expert.

There was no way Contradiction would want to fight Shadowstep's squad, right? There would be no actual point.

"You can hazard a guess," Connie smiled like a shark, "Since you've bested a team of fairly well-trained ponies already, I decided to raise the bar a little."

Alright, she was completely insane.

"A LITTLE?" Anvil burst out, "You DO realize Cross here can wipe the floor with the four of us _alone_ , right? Or did the zombie pony in Canterlot slam your head into the wall a little too hard?" she couldn't stop herself.

Connie only twitched.

"You will keep training with normal ponies as well, but once in a while it might be a good practice to fight a fight where the enemy team need to limit themselves in order no to rip you to shreds. You know, so you can really let yourself go for once," she said as if reading from an invisible script, "Limits will be simple - Cross can only use non-magical weapons, nothing else. Antares, no changeling enhancements, armor, strength, or otherwise, only martial arts. Shadowstep and Starlight, non-lethal magic only."

"Do I really have to partake in this barbarism?" Starlight yawned, "Even with these limits, Cross can do this on his own."

"It wouldn't hurt you to get some fresh air," Cross retorted, "If you're all sickly from sitting inside all the time, no rich noble will ever want you."

"I am a catch everypony would desire, you ignoramus!" Starlight huffed, "Alright, let's make this quick. I have important research to attend to."

"Strategy huddle!" Connie called out.

The trio of victims groaned, grouping up with no enthusiasm, especially after seeing that the changelings weren't doing anything of that sort, just lounging around and stretching lazily.

"I repeat, Cross will beat all of us into submission with a tree branch," Anvil had to admit. She may have been proud of herself after the first fight, but she wasn't delusional.

"Omigosh, I had no idea!" Connie put her hooves to her cheeks with a surprised expression. Then she rolled her eyes, "The goal here is not to get smashed in few seconds, you idiot."

"As much as I'd like to pretend to, me running at Cross who will be the frontline is not going to work like before."

"I'll do it," Astray raised his arm, "I know how much trouble you have with telekinesis. I think I'm a bit more used to it, since master Antares sometimes throws rocks at me from various angles and I have to dodge. I doubt I'll last much longer, if at all, but you might get a better matchup."

"Let me distract Antares then. I still have a bone to pick with him about the whole armed versus unarmed thing."

"It might be a good idea to split them into one versus ones," Connie nodded, "If we tag-teamed any member their duo would take out our solo much faster than we would. Bubbles, you'll flank to deal with the casters as usual, namely Starlight. She is a pure magic user, and even for a changeling she isn't exactly fast or strong. If you can take her advanced magic off the field, we might be able to do something. I'll just act as artillery and start blasting Shadowstep. Changeling queens possess immense amounts of raw powers, but usually aren't too good at delicate use because of it. As far as I know, Shadowstep is more of a warrior than mage so we'll see. Wish I had a real plan, but I don't. Let's see how we match up."

"Alright, ready?" the unicorn called out.

"Ready," Shadowstep, making a levitating book in front of her disappear in a flash, answered.

"GO!"

Connie wasted no time. Her horn flared and the ground around Shadowstep exploded. She saw just a blur moving to the left and her telekinetic blows followed it, making crater after crater as if Shadowstep was running through a minefield. Suddenly, the black and amethyst blur stopped and the sound of a gong followed Connie's mental blow hitting a glowing purple dome. So Shadowstep wanted to make this a contest of raw power? Connie grinned. She was happy to oblige, to see what she could become if not a real unicorn.

The ground trembled.

Bubbles rushed forward faster than ever before. Starlight conjured up a deckchair, a small table, a drink, and a magazine of some sorts which flipped the pages on its own while she sipped from a straw. Bubbles was momentarily confused, so she slowed down. Then she slowed down further... and further...

...and further.

She was moving, but it was like moving through hardening concrete. She could think normally, it was only her body which proceeded forward with the speed of continental drift.

Starlight winked at her, and flipped another page.

So much for trying to prove herself. Bubbles hung her head. Well, tried to. At her current speed that movement was going to take another hour or two.

Astray blocked Cross' quickly flying sword. The changeling himself wasn't moving, but Astray couldn't push past a wall of flashing steel in front of him. He quickly realized attacking the weapon itself would yield nothing, so he blocked and dodged, attempting to get into a position from which he could charge at Cross.

He was so close, only a step or two more, then block, then tackle the changeling.

Cross took a step backwards, his sword not changing its pace.

Alright, two or three more steps and. Ah hah!

Cross took a step backwards.

Astray hit the flying blade with all his might, giving himself a fraction of a second to close the distance.

Cross took two steps backwards.

Assaulted by the flying blade from behind, Astray was forced to turn his back to the changeling. Just after the blades met, a hoof tapped on his shoulder from behind.

"I believe you're looking in the wrong direction," Cross whispered into Astray's ear. The satyr _jumped_ , turning in the air to see the changeling/batpony standing on his hind legs, slowly lowering himself on all fours. Contrary to how crushed Astray felt at the quick loss, Cross looked... proud of him? "Three minutes before you made a fatal mistake. You even tried to outsmart me by the careful inching which would have worked against somepony too focused on the weapon itself. I must admit, impressive progress in such a short time."

"But I lost..."

"Of course you did. If you won I'd have to crawl through the sewers for the rest of my life in shame. That doesn't mean anything," Cross walked over, patting sitting Astray's head, "Do you need me to spell it out for you? Good job, Astray. Very well done."

That was a bunch of words Astray had never heard before in one sentence also containing his name. His brain was still having trouble processing it.

"T-thank you, sir. All thanks to you."

"I very much doubt that," Cross smiled, "I might be giving you skill, but I'm not the one giving you your _drive_. Speaking of the others' tests," he chuckled after noticing Bubbles levitating a short distance above ground and slowly paddling her legs in the air, "It seems only two of you are left."

Anvil was swinging her mace quickly, keeping Antares away from her. The griffon/changeling was darting back and forth, feinting, and trying to flank her. When she overreached with a too wide swing, he dashed forward, forcing Anvil to either let her weapon go and fight bare-handed or get hit. She refused to give her mace up, attempting to move away from the changeling now directly behind her. Two sets of talons dug deeply into her backside.

"You-what?!" she let the weapon go out of shock. It spun several times in the air before burying into the lawn.

"Come on, give an old changeling something to work-BLURHG!"

The punch following her spinning around sent the griffon flying into the air. She looked around for her mace.

Antares spread his wings, swooping at her and grabbing her by her armpits, ascending again. At the height of ten ponies, Antares stopped, flapping his wings and holding her. Anvil sighed, realizing she messed up too hard.

"You win. If this was a real fight, I'd soon be a splatter on the ground."

"Heheh," Antares started descending.

Just above ground, he suddenly let Anvil go, dropping on her like a rock and, completely accidentally 'I am sticking to that story no matter what' landed with his head in her cleavage. The story would have been more believable without the subsequent motorboating.

"Heh, good punch before," he looked up at completely red Anvil. Whether from fury or embarrassment was yet to be seen, "Must have disoriented me so hard I forgot how to fly, heh."

"You are a very pervy changeling," Anvil took a long breath much to Antares' pure joy, then shoved him away.

"You try to live few centuries with monks in the middle of a desert without missing some things."

Oh what the heck, if this happened to her in Rift, the minotaur who defeated her would already be bending her over and not thinking about her comfort whatsoever. The old bastard changeling deserved it.

"SQUAWK!" Antares' griffon disguise took over as she pressed him tightly against her chest once more time.

BOOM!

BOOM!

BOOM!

The earthshattering impacts were felt more than heard. Connie beat down on Shadowstep's shield which started cracking. She was pushing against centuries of love-fueled changeling energy reserves...

...and winning.

Slowly but surely, Shadowstep's purple shield hissed out. Connie's nose was bleeding, her horn hurt, and her legs were cramping after digging into the ground for too long. Through sweat dripping into her eyes, she saw Shadowstep breathing heavily and watching her with genuine surprise.

Then the dome reappeared in its full strength.

Connie sighed and smiled to herself. She couldn't match the endurance and repeated spellcasting of a fed changeling queen, but she could break through all Shadowstep was able to put up at once. She was-

-staring into amethyst eyes looking down at her-

-at a rapidly approaching hoof-

-and darkness.

"That was unnecessary," Cross commented as Shadowstep teleported to Connie and punched her out.

"Cross," Shadowstep said in a thoughtful, serious tone of voice, "report to me her progress as she trains with you."

"Commander?"

"Her power is not just the thaumic suppression syndrome in action. The strongest cases I've met could raze a building, but she... she feels as if she could flatten a mountain. I would ask Starlight for help, but I don't want to have any accidental dissections around."

"Yes, commander," Cross saluted.

"What's going on?" Astray, sitting next to Cross, asked.

"Contradiction's power is unnatural," Shadowstep said simply.

"But that's the disease, right?"

"I consider diseases natural, satyr. Even rare ones like the TSS. This isn't it, or it isn't _only_ it. It feels somewhat familiar, though. What could it," Shadowstep facehoofed, "Straw Basket!"

"I think they have some crates and other containers down in the basement, ma'am," Astray tried to be helpful. The deadpan stares of both Cross and Shadowstep shut him up, "Umm, I think I'll go now. If there's nothing more-"

"Dismissed!" Shadowstep saluted him.

He returned it and left the two alone. Poking Bubbles still harmlessly hovering in her slow motion, Astray was surprised he could simply pluck her out of mid-air and carry her off to where Anvil was resting.

"She'll be fine in some ten minutes or so," Starlight finished her drink and made her recreational accessories disappear. Before she could teleport away herself, she was stopped by Contradiction holding her hoof over her bruised muzzle who whispered something in her ear. Starlight gave her a surprised stare. Connie nodded. Starlight sighed, and both of them disappeared in a flash.

For some reason, it made chill run down watching Astray's spine.

Light dimmed with summer evening setting in as minutes passed..

"And where do _you_ think you're going?" Astray heard Antares, the only changeling still remaining on the front, completely shredded, lawn.

Starlight had been accurate in her guess that Bubbles' time dilation spell would last ten more minutes. During that time, the mare did manage to go halfway through the motion of lying down on the patch of grass under the solitary tree where the team's bags were. She'd been so happy when the spell had worn off, running around and jumping as fast as she could for a minute or two before sitting down next to unusually thoughtful Anvil. Astray had no idea how exhausted he actually was after the extreme training of today until he leaned against the tree and dozed off for a moment. Anvil had woken him up, and all he wanted to do today was to fall over and sleep.

Unfortunately, Antares seemed to have different plans.

"Umm, bed?" Astray answered the changeling's question.

"Aaaaaahahahaha, good one," Antares' beaky expression twisted sadistically, "I remember a certain satyr asking a certain changeling to train with him _in_ _addition_ to everything else he had to do."

Astray facepalmed.

"I understand," he put his heavy bag back down and turned to Anvil and Bubbles, "See you later, guys, if I can drag myself back home after today."

"I think I'll watch for a while," Anvil sat down, "Just to make sure the old perv is really teaching you something instead of showing you how to grope girls?"

"Grope what?"

"Pfff," Antares interjected, "Your teammate is just mad she lost against me in a contest of pure skill, agility, and self-control."

"I'll show you pure skill one day..." Anvil muttered.

"One day?" the changeling smiled, "Glad to hear you're not leaving any time soon."

"Wooooo! GO ASTRAY!" Bubbles cheered, jumping in the air next to Anvil.

"Well, the ladies want a show," Antares stood on his hind legs, waving at Astray to go at him.

The satyr raised his finger, signalling Antares to wait, and put on the heavy metal gauntlets of the princess' armor.

"Something to even the odds a tiny bit."

Anvil expected Astray to get smashed, but either Antares wasn't simply trying too hard or Astray was much better at dodging and blocking than she thought. With his hands and forearms protected, the satyr was less worried about glancing blows by sharp talons, wasting less time by dodging, and being able to deflect and counterattack. One particular instance of his new approach being better came when Antares, expecting Astray to jump backwards, suddenly had his talons knocked away, his beak intimately met the second gauntlet, and got shoved aside by Astray's half-assed roundhouse kick. It wasn't exactly dangerous, it didn't even break the changeling's balance, but damn if it didn't look flashy.

"WOOOOOOW!" Bubbles gasped.

"Not bad," Anvil said appreciatively.

"Nice," Antares nodded, "Had you worn the armored boots that would have really hurt."

"With how tired I am, sir, I wouldn't have lifted my leg in those."

Antares dashed in, assaulting Astray with a flurry of quick jabs. The satyr blocked the first two before dodging to the side and tripping his attacker up. For a moment it looked like Antares would fall, but he extended his hind leg forward, grabbed Astray's wrist with one foreleg and his shoulder with the other, and in the middle of the controlled fall tossed the satyr away while using him to steady his fall. In short, Astray ended with his face on the ground and with Antares standing triumphantly above him.

"Slow and steady, that's what I like," Antares commented, "You know what? I am a reasonable changeling. How about we take it easy for tonight and go for the stretching part of our sessions."

"I'd appreciate that," Astray shakily stood up.

"Mind if I join in?" asked Anvil, suddenly met with two sets of incredulous stares, "What?"

"Nothing!"

"Nothing!"

Antares and Astray exchanged glances. Anvil huffed. Bubbles jumped up.

"Can I do... whatever you're doing too?"

"Sure," Antares shrugged, "These exercises was made by griffons for soldiers, and bunch of them move on both two and four legs in fights so they use different muscles. As we've found out, it works for pure bipeds as well as for quadrupeds. Just do what I'm doing, don't overstretch, go as far as is comfortable. You should feel stretching and maybe soreness, but not pain. That goes double for you Anvil, with your 'I need to do everything better than those around me' attitude. This is not a contest, just listen to your body."

Together, the trio imitated the changeling grandmaster's soothing movements.


	20. Insanity: Abuse V

Two in the morning, the hour reserved for alcoholics and desperate ponies, met Contradiction still awake, sweating in the mansion cellar gym, punching and kicking a hanging sandbag, and muttering to herself:

"Kill them, kill them, kill them!"

She spun around on one foreleg so her hind legs faced the bag, and bucked upwards. The sandbag swung violently, then returned, batting Connie away. The unicorn's bloodshot eyes looked at the training implement with murderous intent.

She shook her head. No, the damn thing only hurt her, and because of her own carelessness. _They_ hurt _him_. She'd been so terrified of losing Cromach after Walter, baron Hoof, even that crazy alicorn Blaze. Fortune, Leo, and Straw were gone, living lives of their own. Rolling Thunder, Two, Rock Candy, the absolutely first Order team which Connie had failed to get into - dead. Anvil, Astray, and Bubbles weren't her friends, they almost made her lose the only real one she still had left.

She just couldn't appease the voice in the back of her head calling for blood.

Leaving the gym, she visited her room only to grab a single thing - her real greatsword. It was an oversized one on top, bearing over twice as wide edge. With its ivory handle and ashen grey blade, it looked more like a decoration than a weapon. After all, unicorns preferred sharp and small weapons which were easy to manipulate with their normal telekinesis. Connie had no problem with it, and she knew the weapon was a real deal - one of the pair of ancient artefacts crafted by Starswirl the Bearded. Cromach had the other one, although he never actually used it these days, settling for his completely mundane battleaxe.

A short time later, she kicked the door to the trio's room open.

Anvil and Bubbles were awake instantly, jumping from their beds. Astray took a little longer, but the light as Connie flicked the switch didn't allow him to sleep through things, especially when coupled with Anvil's annoyed cry of:

"The hay do you think you're doing?"

"Rise and shine, failures!" Connie beamed, "Special _training_."

"Oooh, are we playing nighttime hide and seek?" Bubbles' ears perked up.

"Do we have to?" Astray groaned.

"You either come with me, or I'm dragging you out. I don't care which."

The firm tone of voice wasn't what made Astray extremely suspicious, the sword hovering next to Connie was. Normally, Astray would agree with the idea that 'enemies don't wait until you are prepared', but this had been a long day and, well - yesterday now, and he felt nothing good would come of whatever Contradiction had prepared.

He nodded towards her weapon, putting his clothes on.

"Should I take my armor or something?"

"Oh yeah, and you better be ready to use it."

Astray frowned, putting his gauntlets on. He felt he'd do much better just with those than the entire platemail. After Bubbles and Astray followed Connie out of the room, Anvil looked at the bedside table where she'd been examining Astray's new pistol before going to sleep. Narrowing her eyes, she hung the holster on the back of her belt... just in case.

Contradiction led them on the front lawn where they had previously been training. Scattered lighting of nighttime Manehattan barely thinned the darkness. However, when the four of them arrived on the yet again miraculously repaired lawn, dim glow spread from the tree underneath the group had been resting, illuminating the area.

Connie took few steps away from the other three, took a deep breath, and flourished her sword.

"I thought that seeing you broken and humiliated by Shadowstep's group would appease the little voice inside my head calling for your painful end, but no," her eye twitched, "You hurt him so bad... hah... HAHAHAHAHA!"

Earth rumbled. A tall, circular wall of dark stone burst out from the ground, cutting everyone off from the rest of the world. Bubbles was confused beyond belief. Astray's head was finally putting all the terrible clues together, and asked:

"Is this about-"

BOOM!

Anvil, though, didn't hesitate, firing a bullet at Connie's head with surprising precision for someone who had supposedly never held a pistol before.

The bullet stopped an arm's length in front of Connie, hovering in the air.

"Smarter than you look, you two-legged hamburger," with a sadistic grin, the bullet was tossed back at the same speed, lodging itself deep into Anvil's shoulder.

"Bubbles, take her down! She's crazy. THIS ISN'T A TRAINING!" the minotaur roared.

Bubbles wasn't hesitant whatsoever. All she needed was to get close to miss Contradiction and push her on the ground. At worst, she would bite her a little, which the nice ponies here in the mansion could heal easily. It didn't make sense to the demonette, though. Miss Contradiction used to be so nice before despite being tough during training, but there was something wrong with her now. It had a lot to do with sir Cromach not being around, which meant Bubbles and the others had to not break before he came back.

The rusty blur stopped as if hitting a wall.

"Huh? Owww... owowwowowww..." Bubbles looked at what had tugged at her so hard something crunched. Her left foreleg was missing, hanging in the air nearby, "Ah? AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" the pain caught up to her. She wasn't used to pain, being naturally resistant to damage as a helf-demon, but that only meant that whenever it happened, it hurt vastly more. Blood streaming from the torn away limb, she collapsed in shock on the grass.

Anvil, on the other hand, was more than used to being physically hurt, and by the time Contradiction was focused on holding Bubbles' leg she was already running, completely ignoring the bullet wound. She got close, close enough to almost swing her mace before the familiar feeling from day one enveloped her. This time, however, she was stronger and fought back as telekinesis held all her limbs, bending them backwards. She quickly realized her mistake. As stronger as she got in the few weeks here, the pressure on her compared to the last time was drastically more brutal.

"I'll end what I started the day you got here," Contradiction growled.

Crack! Shoulders.

Crack! Hips.

Anvil screamed, completely losing control of herself. The grinding in her dislocated joints echoed in her skull as Contradiction made sure to be slow and as agonizing as possible.

With Connie standing in front of Anvil being bundled up, her arms and legs very nearly literally tying themselves behind her back, Astray managed to get close. He didn't want to hurt anyone ever, but this was it. This was the choice - his principle of himself not being worth taking the life of another, or protecting those around him even though they didn't really like him anyway. Well, Bubbles did and she was slowly bleeding out, crumpled on the grass nearby.

He raised his sword, and-

CRUNCH!

-it fell from his suddenly limp hands. Well, suddenly limp everything. Astray couldn't turn his head, he lost the feeling in his entire body from the neck down. His world shook as he was levitated upwards and dangled like a sack of potatoes.

"Ooooh. Look at me, I'm ash tray, I pretend I can do something, but I'm no better than a rag doll. If I try real hard I'll get to cup some cow tits," Contradiction laughed sarcastically, "Well, if you meet in the afterlife you can try again."

Realizing Contradiction must have severed his spine, Astray once again felt something, and that something was vice-like pressure all around his head. He wanted to scream, but the lack of air from his paralyzed lunges was finally getting to him. He only hoped to pass out before-

His mouth opened in a silent scream as his world turned red.

Pain.

Nothing.

Bubbles forgot the pain of her missing leg instantly as Astray's head exploded into red mist. Now she felt as if her entire body and soul went numb. Standing up, she limped to the satyr's headless corpse.

"Why?" she mumbled while passing miss Connie, "Why are you so nasty when you were so nice?"

The unicorn stared at her silently as she cradled Astray's body still bleeding from the neck with her remaining foreleg.

"I was wrong," Bubbles sniffled, "You're just like mommy when she drank too much wine. I was wrong about you..."

She heard the whistling of Contradiction's greatsword. Turning her head with teeth bared, she grabbed the flying weapon with her mouth. It burned, it didn't cut her and yet the sword burned her more than any silver or magical alloy ever. Despite the molten heat in her maw, she bit down. Cracks ran down the edge and the entire thing shattered into several large shards.

 _Somewhere in the far future, Blazing Light sighed as he came to possession of one Blade of Balance which had somehow been broken to pieces. He had no idea how that had happened or how to reforge it, all he knew was that he had to._

"I AM IN THE RIGHT HERE!" Contradiction screamed half in rage and half in horror as the pieces of the destroyed sword fell on the grass.

Her horn flared, and Anvil could see shimmering, barely more visible than moving air, shapes of thick tentacles surounding the unicorn. She felt something being launched from Contradiction without seeing anything. Unfortunately, she didn't need to see, she knew, and turned her head to Bubbles...

...on whose neck a string-thin cut started bleeding.

The mare tried to turn her head, only managing to shake and reveal her neck had been sliced in two. As her head slid away from the rest of her body, she gurglingly mumbled:

"As... try..."

When Contradiction's pin-prick pupils focused again on Anvil, the minotaur knew it was over. She was barely conscious, swimming in the sea of torment, but still hanging on. She felt herself being dragged upwards by her horns. Following two more crunches shaking her to her core, the horns broke away with her still levitating above ground.

"Any last words?" asked Contradiction coldly.

Anvil scowled. If she had to go, then it would be without fear and staring truth straight in the face.

"Your boss is a straight and fair griffon who deserves way better than a mentally imbalanced foal like y-"

A shard of the broken blade ran through her skull.

"SHUT UP!" Contradiction yelled at the clearly dead minotaur. With the pieces of her broken sword held telekinetically in its original shape, she started hacking Anvil's head over and over into goo, "SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUTUPSHUTUPSHUTUP!"

The barrier surrounding the massacre dissipated, and the outside world could clearly hear one madly laughing unicorn mare.

Just like his predecessor Straw Basket, Astray woke up, phantom pains still wrecking his body. He looked around to see his trembling, catatonic, but physically unhurt friends, and then he pissed himself...

...exactly just like his predecessor Straw Basket.

"Hah hahahah! THAT HELPED! THAT FINALLY HELPED! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Contradiction was not stopping while walking towards the mansion.

Anvil and Astray exchanged glances. The minotaur wanted to say something regarding the state of Astray's pants, but realized she was sitting in a stinking puddle herself. Raising her hand in front of her face, she opened and closed a fist several times. She was trembling and she couldn't stop it. The satyr was staring at her, tears streaming from his eyes. She couldn't help but smile before...

...Bubbles tackled Astray back onto his back and started licking his face all over.

There were no missing heads or limbs, no blood remaining, nothing outside of heavy breathing, distant sounds of night bordering on morning Manehattan, and Contradiction's insane laughter fading in the distance.

"WHAT IN SEVEN HELLS OF THE EMPIRE WERE YOU THINKING?!"

By the end of the week, Contradiction had been called into Cromach's office. The griffon was there, bandaged and apparently furious. Standing with his talons scoring grooves into his desk, he yelled at Contradiction as soon as she opened the door. She'd had time to think about what she'd done. A weight had lifted from her after she ended the brutal scene in Starlight's arena, but another had settled on her soon after - her boss would eventually return, and he wouldn't be happy. Despite that, she couldn't help herself, the anger was still there, albeit not like a roaring flame anymore.

"Who blabbed this time?" she just muttered defiantly, "Anvil again?"

"CROSS DID!" Cromach's disbelieving voice didn't fade in the slightest, maybe even rose at Connie's unrepentant approach, "YOU MADE FREAKING CROSS WORRY ABOUT YOUR MENTAL HEALTH. AND NOT ONLY YOURS! STARLIGHT TOLD HIM ABOUT YOU WANTING THE ARENA SPELL READY AND YOU EMPEROR-DAMN _EXECUTED_ THREE FRESH NEWBIES AT NIGHT BEFORE HE OR SHADOWSTEP COULD TALK YOU OUT OF IT. DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW THE THREE LOOK RIGHT NOW? LOOK AT ME, CONNIE!" he barked at the unicorn staring firmly at the floor. He definitely wasn't expecting the defiant stare back, "DO YOU?"

"Blaze did the same thing to us and I didn't hear you objecting then..." she just muttered, ramming a metaphorical dagger into Cromach's heart.

The griffon sighed, shaking his head.

"The situation was different then. When Blaze performed the arena scenario on you, Fortune, Straw, and Leo, he consulted all of us beforehoof. He asked about our assessment of you, and whether there was no other way. We were against it, but we didn't have a better idea. There is no dark cult of semi-invulnerable mind-controlled ponies rising nowadays. There is no god spelling complete end of life as we know it and threatening to force eternal torture on everything living this time. There is no need to discover whether one of the targets is possessed by a different evil entity that would come out if faced with death of its host. We _do_ have time now. You just tortured few guys who weren't used to seeing horrors that would send a normal pony into an asylum forever. I talked to them, I talked to Shadowstep's group, I even talked to some normal recruits, and all pointed me to the same thing - you relieving frustration and anger."

"Do I need to remind you they almost got you killed TWICE?"

"The sewers were my lapse of judgement and concentration," Cromach said firmly, "And I, although I might be wrong on this one, also believe that the conflict in the hospital escalated only because you were involved. Anvil, Astray, and Bubbles did very little wrong. They have never before been on a long-term patrol. They don't know the rules and practices. You just basically sent three civilians on a mission they would certainly fail when faced with anyone who knew what they were doing, and you maybe caused irreversible mental damage to them because of an expected result? If anything, it was _your_ fault for sending them there."

"Oh please," Contradiction was too deep to back off now, no matter how right Cromach was. She didn't dare admit everything was _her_ fault in the end, "Astray was suicidal even before coming here. Anvil always flaunts how hardcore she is and that nothing ever shakes her. Bubbles was whored out and treated like an animal by her own mother for her entire short life. There's nothing to break there anymore outside of what _needs_ to be broken anyway."

Cromach couldn't believe his ears. This wasn't the Connie he knew. He didn't lose his patience yet, though, and explained in a carefully controlled tone:

"I've been watching their progress, Connie. Bubbles is a rare case of somepony barely adult who still possesses the foal-like wonder and is happy for the smallest nice things in life. Yeah, according to the reports her mother was a half-insane bitch and her death was a long-time coming blessing for everyone involved, but even she didn't go as far as you did. That is exactly why she needs somepony who CARES about her. If she is to grow in the right way she needs somepony who believes she can, and after what you've been through I was hoping YOU would be that pony."

He took a breath, shook his head, and continued:

"I admit Anvil needs something to be beaten out of her, but you can't just push her over her breaking point and hope for the positive result. She even freaking started to care for somepony other than herself, which is pretty rare for minotaurs who have to fight for everything they have up north, and you've clearly shown her what mental pain opening oneself leads to. Fear of loss, does THAT ring a bell, Connie?"

The unicorn twitched, ears splayed back. Cromach hit his desk, making Connie look up at him again.

"And Astray, after finally looking as if he was finding somepony or something to live for, got to feel the grim darkness of how losing everything felt. For the first time in his life, Connie. SOUNDS FAMILIAR? YOU, of all ponies, YOU should fucking protect everyone around you from having to feel the way you did, not _cause_ it."

That one cut deep. Connie opened her mouth...

...and closed it. There was nothing she could say. Of course Cromach was right. Of course the horrors she'd lived through were something she would never want anypony other than her worst enemy to witness.

"I- I just boil over whenever I see them. I recall your mangled body from when I first visited the hospital. You don't even know I was there, the doctors couldn't tell me if I'll ever be able to talk to you again, and I just stood there, not knowing anything other than that I wanted to flay the three idiots who caused this alive and bathe them in acid. I should have stayed here. Seeing you in Canterlot with tubes sticking out of your beak, legs, everywhere was..."

"Connie, I _know_ you are more than this, there is no doubt in my heart. I think you need a long rest. I can call in some favors from the princesses and send you to some beach resort in the Griffon Empire or anywhere you want. I heard the late summer festivals in the Holy City are quite the events."

She raised her hoof, not looking at him.

"Don't send me away, please."

"I'm not. If you want to stay here it's fine. I just think it should be away from those three for a while. I doubt they would appreciate your presence either right now. This is mostly just a formality, but I'm stripping you of the team leadership temporarily."

Connie nodded.

"I am a shit leader. We all know that, Fortune knew that all the time. I am a good tactician, but I'm not fit to lead anypony."

"You will be, I know that," Cromach said comfortingly, "But everypony is sometimes in over their head. As I said, I believe in you, and I believe you can rationally tell me who your team's temporary leader should be."

"I thought _you_ would take over."

"No, I'm recovering ridiculously fast, at least according to the doctors. It's probably something with the divine power inside me, but I have my own responsibilities and training regimen. You did a decent job with the paperwork, but there's a lot more to do after my absence."

"Alright then. Bubbles is simply too stupid. I don't mean any insult by it, but she is simple and knows too little to lead anyone anywhere other than to the kitchen. Astray... it's a close call and according to the others he is good in crisis, but I don't think he's the bigger picture kind of guy. As I said, close call, but I think Anvil is still the correct choice."

Cromach nodded.

"With that, you're getting two weeks of medical leave. You're free to use them as you please, and if you decide in the end to go somewhere the Order will be paying for it," he walked around his desk, and hugged the unicorn who twitched away at first, "You know you'll have to talk to them and apologize for everything... and that it wouldn't be enough. You'll have to lead them to Tartarus and get them back all alive before they forgive you."

"I know," she muttered, "but I can't do it now. I just... I know what would happen. I know what they would say, I know what I would say, and I know it would only end up even worse."

"All in due time?"

"Yes, sir. I'm sorry for disappointing you, causing damage to those I'm supposed to lead, and I'm sorry for not being good enough for you. I hope in time I'll be able to tell this to them as well."

"Your head makes it worse than it's going to be, but I won't pressure you, Connie. Anything else?"

"No, sir. Thank you for your patience and time. I'll do my best to avoid failing you in the future."


	21. Insanity: Abuse VI

It was just another evening, like every single one since the death arena. Astray and Anvil returned together, the minotaur having been joining Antares' sessions as well these days. She said it helped her take her mind off things, specifically yet another nightmare of staring down her executioner and the last flash of steel before complete and final darkness. Who had never felt their last breath slip away would never understand. The regrets, the loss of hope of ever making things right, the sudden clarity, and most of all - the shameful... relief. The relief that everything is finally for once someone else's problem.

Anvil was once again lying on her back, reading in the comfort of her bed while Bubbles rested by her side, muzzle propped on her rising and falling abs. There was one big difference from the times before their deaths, though.

"The Silversmith hegemony broke down after their capital city was 'devoured by the mountain'. The believed reason is that the network of mines leading into the depths supposedly reaching the planet's core collapsed. There are some artefacts still being dug out by archeologists from time to time, but nopony knows what they do or how to activate them. The common belief is that some Crystal Empire technology is based on the Silversmith ability to work with the crystalline structure of some minerals and manipulate it to store or transform magical, natural, and even divine energies. The only Silversmith invention still working until these days is the Crystal Heart."

Anvil was reading aloud to Bubbles whose ears twitched from time to time.

"What's a haji-money?" the mare asked.

"Hegemony. Simply put, it's a different word for empire."

"Like Crystal Empire then?"

"More like Griffon Empire. Crystal Empire is a city state while the Griffon Empire is a collection of countries and different self-governing states under one flag and Emperor spanning a huge chunk of the world," explained Anvil.

"Oooh," Bubbles' ears perked and she raised her head, "Do you think Astray is in the shower longer than usual?"

"Leave him be. He needs some privacy to get over... what happened. He's been taking his time in there the last few days."

Bubbles jumped down from the bed anyway.

"I... I'll just check up on him. In case he's out of soap or toilet paper or something. I dunno."

"Fiiine," sighed Anvil, putting her book away, "I'll go fetch some drinks. Next lesson - the Romane Empire. A lot of orgies and public puking in it. Funny how that one's considered to be the cradle of first real well-recorded civilization."

"That's a lot of empires in that book."

"Yeah, everyone wanted to conquer the world at some time. Griffons, ponies, minotaurs, Silversmiths, changelings, yaks, even cows, everyone had a successful megalomaniac at one point in history."

"Maybe they just wanted to make more friends?"

"Heheheh, nope," Anvil shoved herself inside her tight pants threatening to explode, "Soda, beer, wine?"

"Milk, please."

"Mhm," the minotaur left.

Bubbles knocked softly on the bathroom door. There was no answer, so she cracked it open.

Astray was sitting on the floor of the shower, cradling his head under the flow of warm water. This was one thing Bubbles didn't understand. Both Anvil and Astray took the death exercise extremely hard, but it couldn't have been the pain that caused these lasting effects. Bubbles knew she was significantly naturally tougher than the two, but their reactions were still surprising her. In fact, she resolved herself to thank miss Contradiction when she got better. The final moments as her head had been cut off brought up feelings she'd been experiencing for a while already, but much stronger.

Walking over to Astray, she sat down next to him, pressing her wet coat against his hairless side. She nudged his cheek with her muzzle.

"It's all my fault," he muttered, "I started all this. I failed her day after day and then she hurt both of you this bad. The thing with sir Cromach was just the last straw. I shouldn't have stayed here. I knew it would be too much, that I wasn't cut out for this. I should have just-OW!"

Bubbles bit his shoulder hard enough to draw blood. Then again and again, much softer. She kept nibbling and nipping at his neck, licking him whenever she used a little too much force and her needle-sharp teeth pierced the skin.

"W-what are- are you d-doing?" Astray wanted to lean away, but Bubbles held him firmly.

"I dunno," she stopped chewing him, "I want you so much my stomach hurts whenever you say things like this. I want to eat you up, to keep you warm, to have you always with me. You're so nice and so bad to yourself at the same time. I don't want you to keep sitting in here, I want you out there with us. I am happy miss Connie did that to us."

"What? How? Why?"

"Because before everything stopped I thought only about one thing - you. I want to protect you, to stay by your side. You and Anvil were the first non-guard ponies I talked to outside of the tower, and you are the best. I don't know what about the exercise hurt you so much, but I don't understand because it helped me. I know for sure I want to be here, I want our time here to last forever. I want _you_. I noticed how you sometimes look at Anvil, like the ponies I helped go to sleep looked at me sometimes, and I want you to look at me like that as well. I know she's more like you than I am, but I'm content with just being here with you."

She returned to her needy biting, licking, and when Astray turned his head to look her in the eyes...

...she kissed him.

It was sloppy and she clearly had no clue what she was supposed to be doing other than that lips and tongue fit somewhere, but neither had he so it was okay. More than okay, if Astray had to be honest with himself. He had absolutely no idea why anypony would feel this strongly about him in any positive way, but it was what it was. He was the first to break the kiss, though. Apparently Bubbles, among other unnatural things, didn't need to breathe as much. That proved a minor mistake as she returned to her ravenous but careful biting.

When the slightly lacerated satyr left the shower followed by the beaming demoness, Anvil was already back, raising her eyebrows at the sight.

"Ummm, got any bandages around here?" asked Astray timidly.

"Were you trying to slit your wrists and missed?" the corners of Anvil's mouth rose up. From his right shoulder to his cheek, Astray looked as if he'd tried to catch an angry cat, but it didn't unnerve her. Well, it did, but it was quickly replaced by the relief at seeing the satyr with anything other than a completely dead, distant expression of the last days.

"Not even my aim is that bad," he just chuckled, giving the minotaur a smile.

"I like him so much I needed to eat him up!" Bubbles proclaimed with clear joy and honesty.

Funny, suddenly the sight of the mare with her head cut off didn't feel as terrible to Anvil as it had a second before.

"You know," she said hesitantly, "I wasn't too happy when that bitch pulverized your head either. Mostly because some of it landed on me, but I might just be getting used to you being around. Anyway, it would be annoying to have to start with some new addition to our team from scratch."

"I'm glad you're around as well, hambu-"

"End that sentence and I'll end you," she narrowed her eyes.

"Heheh, now I'm back in familiar territory," Astray smiled at Anvil sipping her coffee and took his mineral water from the tray she'd brought, "You sure about drinking _that_?"

The question was substantiated. Anvil, after the sewers, the hospital guard job, and the death exercise looked as if a cow chewed her up, minor pun intended.

"Meh, I can't sleep anyway so I may as well have something that will help me think as well."

"Bubbles, how about you spend the night with Anvil?" asked Astray. Bubbles shrugged. He looked back at Anvil, "It's helped me a ton. She's like a warm pillow and a dreamcatcher in one. It helps when you wake up after a zombie bites your head off and see her cuddling you. If she's not sleeping with her mouth open, that is."

"I," Anvil hesitated. This was something she _really_ didn't want to ask, "I think I need a bit more than just a live pillow. I... I think it might help... in certain stressful situations it's natural to... strength in numbers and so on... according to base animal instincts... we might sleep together... all of us... just this once. Hmph!" she crossed her arms and looked away.

Astray silently prayed to whatever higher entity there was to stop himself from laughing. He knew how difficult it must have been for Celestia-freaking-damn Anvil to say that. The more it hit him that Anvil was way more hurt than he'd ever expected. For a second he wondered what she'd seen in her last moments... what was _really_ important to her, what was the one final regret she'd never get to forget or fix.

His had been far too simple and all too familiar. There was something in his every decision. He couldn't close his eyes without recalling some failure. All that had flashed before his eyes in the final moment of crimson pain. He was _living_ his regret, that realization had made everything that more hopeless. Everything felt darker and colder until Bubbles told him her perspective, and there was something to it. He'd been working his way out of his mental hole for the past weeks. The steps were tiny, nearly invisible, but they were there. As sir Cromach had said - there was light at the end of the tunnel, and it wasn't an approaching train.

"If I'm enough, I'd like to offer you my company alongside Bubbles."

Anvil started tossing spare blankets and sheets over the carpet.

"Sleeping pile!" Bubbles pounced at the minotaur when she was almost done, taking her by surprise and ending on her back.

Astray put his empty glass next to Anvil's barely touched coffee, turned the lights off, and lay down on his back next to Anvil. A huge arm scooped him closer to the minotaur, followed by blanket covering his head.

"Hee hee," Bubbles, completely under the blanket as well, stuck his tongue out at him. Of course he couldn't see it in the darkness, but the thought was there.

With his head on Anvil's shoulder, Astray drifted off in few minutes.

He stood on a hill of corpses, kicking down zombie ponies crawling upwards at him, empty eyes staring deep into his soul. Underneath him, Anvil was being overwhelmed by hordes of undead alongside Bubbles. A hippogriff with most of his flesh missing grasped his fetlock and dragged him down. Astray landed with his face in the rotting flesh. Teeth started tearing him apart from the waist down. He saw a bloodied rusty leg being dragged towards the top of the pile by a dead pony. More and more detached bodyparts were being offered by the crawling dead to the pony figure on the pile's top. Among them, even his own leg. All those bits and pieces were sacrifices for the maniacally laughing leader of the evil horde...

...Contradiction.

Astray woke up gasping for breath. While Anvil's armpit was comfortable, it left a lot to be desired in the breathing department. On the minotaur's other side, Bubbles shifted but quickly calmed down and resumed her sleepy drooling. Anvil was out like a light, not moving aside from her chest heaving up and down. Sizable chest. Astray smiled to himself, shaking his head at the passing idea of a glancing touch. If there ever had been a worse time to abuse the situation, he couldn't remember it.

Unfortunately, sleep avoided him for the next five minutes. With a sigh, he decided a quick stroll through the mansion would do him good. Carefully unwrapping Anvil's arm from himself, he waited to see if she was still asleep and left the room. Maybe a drink down in the cafeteria would be a good idea. Hot chocolate was always available due to recruits serving night shifts as punishment for something.

The halls of the mansion were dimly lit by occasional lamps scattered among their unlit brethren, and he could clearly hear the steps of patrolling ponies resonating through the otherwise silent hallways. The curtains on the windows rustled at his passage, making him twitch. Every moving shadow put Astray on his guard before he realized that if there ever was a safe place then it was this mansion. At the end of the hall, right next to the stairs down, was a doorway leading to the lit outside balcony. A clinking of glass came from there. The summer night was warm and dry, so there was a good chance of some ponies having a private night. Astray couldn't resist and peeked through the glass pane in the door.

It was Contradiction, sitting on a chair with a bottle of white wine and a shot glass on the table next to her. Astray knew he was the glass half-empty kind of guy, but Connie wobbling in her chair and looking into darkness outside now was the bottle completely empty one. Unfortunately, some small rock decided to creak between his hoof and the stone floor as he turned away from something he was definitely not supposed to see. The visibly drunk unicorn quickly noticed. When, in the next instant, Astray tried to walk away, invisible force opened the door and pulled him outside.

The silence between the two lengthened as Astray stood there, watching Contradiction who looked once again into the distance. He was angry at her, he wanted to yell at her, he wanted to toss her from the balcony, but he couldn't help being Astray. Instead, when he came to terms with _himself_ not being insulted and thrown two floors down, he felt concern for the wasted unicorn. He was that kind of satyr.

"Are you feeling better?" he asked carefully.

Connie laughed. Short, fast, more like a bark.

"Yoo still care 'bout _me_?" she shook her head, speaking with a drunken slur, "Don't. Looks I'm as yoosless as I said yoo were."

The telekinetic grip around Astray dissipated. He sat down on the empty chair of the pair.

"Look, I'm sorry. I wish I knew what to say to fix all this. I just don't. All I can do is keep working to become better in the future so that I can stop this from happening again. All I have now are words. I'm sorry."

"No, I should bee," Connie shook her head, "Yoo know that I went throo the death arena as well?"

That took Astray aback. Pretty soon, he couldn't help wondering what _she_ had felt in her final moments.

"Wait, really?"

"Yeh, I got my head chewed off."

"Why?"

"I wasn't fast enuff."

"I mean, why did you go through the exercise?"

"Things were far worse than they ar' now. We were powerless, besieged on all sides, end of the world was coming... yoo know - fun. There were reel reasons for using something that mind-breaking. We fought against an alicorn. Well... some of us fought, some begged, some just broke down. Yoo know, at least all of yoo fought until death without a word. Yoo three ar' much better than we were at first. I had no right to do that to yoo. I'm trash... I've always been."

Astray looked at the empty bottle. It wasn't wine as he'd thought, which kinda explained the shot glass, it was something called Rotgut which smelled as if it could strip paint. The warning on the label read:

[Don't sue us for any brain damage. You drink this stuff, our lawyers don't.]

If the two-hundred and thirty percent proof was even remotely correct, Connie should soon explode when passing by any open fire. On the other hand, she was still able to walk -well, wobble- when she finished her glass and stood up to leave. He put his hand on her back to steady her and get her attention.

"Can you tell me... can you tell me what went through your brain before you 'died'?"

"Three's teeth," it was a miracle she was able to say it without twisting her tongue.

"Come on!"

"Nothing."

"Wait, really?"

"I wuz focused on the fight. I almost got through his defenses and killed him, but by that time I was the last one left. I didn't ev'n know what happened before the pain. But no, there wuz nothing."

"No final regrets?"

"My life was one big regret at dat point. I didn't care if I lived or died, nopony really did. Who am I kidding? It's still the same."

"Don't be too harsh on yourself," when Connie rolled her eyes, he added, "Sir Cromach's words, not mine."

"Same goes, smartass, but I'm not yoo. I'm not a naturally good pony deep down. I was a whorse, a drug addict, a thief, a beggar. It wasn't what I did to survive, it was who I was. I still have a long way to go, and the first thing I need to do is finish what my drunken ass started," she ruffled Astray's hair on the second attempt. On the other hand, if she was seeing double then it was acceptable, "You keep fixing your mistakes, Astray. You are an inspiration of sorts, and I need to fix mine. A lot of mistakes."

She left, grim determination etched on her muzzle. Astray was suddenly very confused, and even more worried. When drunks said things like these, they never meant anything good. After all, he'd said it to himself enough times before. All he could do was hope she would either forget what she'd said by morning, or that his words had some sort of positive effect.

With a sigh, Astray stood up, leaving the bottle and glass on the table. He'd never thought he'd be able to say it, but at least he had somepony waiting for him tonight.

Back in Canterlot, and in vastly less depressing mood, Secret Seeker mumbled to himself in disappointment. Black Shield, chewing her reward bubble gum while reading, turned her head at the noise. Seeker turned towards her with a lab mouse levitating in front of him. He set it down on the floor, still holding it in place.

"Kill it."

Shield's body moved on its own, but she had control over her mouth at least. She opened it and-

Splat!

-her hoof crushed the poor little creature. Wiping the mess off of herself with a cloth from one of the many workbenches, she wasn't exactly impressed at her feat. Slightly disgusted, but definitely not proud of herself.

"Did I fail against that Contradiction mare so hard you need me to train on mice now?"

Seeker facehoofed and turned back to his main workstation. Taller Shield could easily see the levitating implements in front of the unicorn doing their work. A dose of something red inside a syringe was injected into a different mouse which was presented to Shield soon after.

"Try again."

Shield knew she'd be haunted by the pitiful squeak the creature made right before turning into another puddle of paste for a long time, but her list of things to regret was getting out of hoof at this point anyway so she didn't think too hard about it.

"Huh?" she blinked in surprise as the crushed body coagulated back together, reforming half of the mouse before losing form and collapsing back.

Seeker frowned.

"As I thought, not even the strongest dosage I can synthesize is enough to keep it alive. The griffon's blood isn't working. Grab a mop and clean this mess."

"How come?" asked Shield while rummaging through the supply room rearranged for her yoga.

"The blood of somepony merely infused with divine power might be granting the original 'donor' some special abilities. Longevity is definitely one of them and, according to witnesses of ambassador Cromach's training, the power to summon lightning. However, the properties of the blood are somehow bound to only him. Transfusion makes the effects barely noticeable. I have no doubts the mice infused with his blood would live several months longer, but that is by far insufficient for our needs. For the ritual to work, we're going to need the blood of an originally demonic or divine being. At least that was what your foray to the hospital was good for - we know blood is enough. The required quantity is still unknown, but... let's worry about that later."

"How about summoning a demon?" Shield, using her tail to operate the mop as she found rather convenient, asked, "I know you have some books about it around here. Succubi, incubi, all that jazz."

Seeker, giving her an impressed look, shook his head.

"That unfortunately doesn't work. Demons, when summoned into this world, don't have their real forms. If you hurt them they don't leave blood and other remains. That's why those reagents are extremely rare and expensive. You can, of course, travel into the realm where their real forms are and get those, but I'd rather drug an alicorn and take some of their blood than try that. It would be safer. There are no real demons just sitting around here in the real world."

"You _do_ realize my goal in life was to protect ponies and especially the princesses?"

Seeker rolled his eyes.

"This again? One, you don't have a choice. Two, I'm not going to _attack_ a damn alicorn straight on, I'm not suicidal and I don't understand the rings' power enough to hope they would keep me alive. Getting some blood, though, perhaps under some ruse of it being the last hope of a dying orphan filly or something equally sentimentally stupid, should be doable."

"Speaking of the rings," Shield spat her chewing gum out into a trash bin, putting the rest of her pack into her compact saddlebag, "I think I'm back to full power again. Can I go to Manehattan and trail Contradiction?"

"Oh, I almost forgot about it. Definitely yes, she should give us enough of an exercise to test the rings' healing power. Good idea for an earthpony. Just let me find some strong enough trinkets to serve as a teleportation beacon," Seeker frantically searched the cellar lab, "and don't forget - I can't simply teleport anywhere. Either find a way to lure her to Canterlot so I can transport myself quickly, or inform me about her location before you reveal yourself so that I can get within reach. From here, I can teleport anywhere unprotected in upper and lower Canterlot, maybe even as far as Ponyville, but that would be exhausting."

"Don't worry, I'll think of something," Shield said smugly, "Wouldn't be the first time I impressed a unicorn with my bright ideas."

Secret Seeker just facehoofed again. If that damn mentally unbreakable earthpony kept testing him much longer, his face would look like a pug.


	22. Mistakes: Vigilante

The next evening found a certain, totally not at all hung over anymore, black and white unicorn mare still inside her room, but this time walking around with determined expression etched on her face. While Connie had been utterly wasted when she talked to Astray, she remembered the whole thing with complete clarity. Now she was certain the three didn't need her around, and that she had to sort herself out before ever butting into anyone else's life again. That said, her drunken chat with the satyr reassured her that the arena exercise will have a positive result in time despite knowing the three will be scarred for a long time to come. After all, vast majority of ponies never got into a situation of closely realizing their mortality until it was too late. Those three had their world view forcefully changed far before they should, but Connie now knew at least one of them... the important one took it well.

She would never say it to Astray's face, but despite being the least useful out of the three he was the one keeping them from becoming a brainless army squad only obeying orders, instead remaining a group of real individuals. Connie understood how important the first quality was at times, but the second one held greater weight in her mind.

"I need to fix my own mistakes, and one of those is not being a unicorn," Contradiction muttered to herself while packing some basic requirements for leaving the mansion for few days. She stopped and rubbed her horn, then she sighed and shook her head, "A stupid light spell... give me at least something that wouldn't make me completely reliant on gadgets and tools."

Sighing again, she shook her head in full knowledge of how pointless her wish was, and continued packing. Some bits, a toothbrush, a set of clothes just in case, her Order insignia, a spare set of combat horseshoes, a book...

She scoured the room for anything useful that could fit into the open and already overflowing saddlebags on her messy bed. Granted, she sucked at arranging things neatly so the fullness of the bags was more her fault than the contents'. Walking past the central table, she stopped and looked at the wrapped square of cloth containing the shards and the handle of the Blade of Balance broken by Bubbles. She carefully spread the cloth, revealing the fragments arranged into the shape of the original oversized greatsword.

"Should I take this with me?" she levitated the whole mess so that it hovered next to her as a singular blade which she gave several careful swings, "More fragments can mean more flying weapons," the shards scattered into the air around her, slowly floating in a ring surrounding her body, "Nah, I'm not Blaze, I can't focus on so many things at once. Anyway," the shattered sword returned onto the table in its original fragmented shape to remind the mare of her stupidity and mistakes. Connie focused, and a deep groove appeared on the wall she looked at, "who needs weapons when you can do this?"

Connie's eyes turned to the space under her bed from which a wide cardboard box slid out with just the gentlest nudge of her telekinesis. One by one, her 'toys' presented themselves for examination, each one being quickly rejected with a shake of the mare's head.

"Maybe now is not the time," Connie mumbled to herself. When the numerous replicas returned to the box, she was left with only one, not so oversized like most of the others, levitating in front of her - Cromach's. She kissed it and lodged it inside the prepared saddlebags, "Just this one for good luck. If I somehow succeed here I'll have the real thing anyway."

With just a little space left in one of the twin bags for food and water she'd get in the kitchens later, she looked around her room as if giving it a goodbye, and left.

Her plan was simple, but there was a chance of it working. She needed the help of a real unicorn to finally find Black Shield and whoever was controlling her. Thankfully, she had some leverage to get an even better result - an alicorn. Being one of the saviours of the whole world had its perks, especially when having to persuade a certain alicorn princess whose behaviour sort of led to the disaster in the first place. So, find Celestia and pressure her into using whatever _personal_ resources necessary to locate the target.

After that, it was up to Connie to redeem herself on her own. She wouldn't ask for guard assistance or any more help dealing with whoever Celestia found. This was her and only her business, her original drunken screw-up. She had no idea that she believed the same thing as everyone involved in the situation.

"Tickets... tickets..." she checked her bags again, found a single piece of paper, and nodded to herself while walking through the mostly empty halls of the Order headquarters.

*Tap tap tap tap!*

"Mmmhm?" Contraiction groggily opened her eyes.

She had left the Order grounds under the cover of darkness by telekinetically tossing herse- _vaulting_ over the outside wall, and had rushed to the train station where there was an over-night train to Canterlot to catch.

For the first time in a while she was having a decent sleep, and now this was happening. She rose from the padded bench in an empty coupe, rubbing her eyes. The colder air and the dim light outside meant only one thing - the train was pulling up the Canterlot mountain and it was super early in the morning.

*Tap tap tap tap!*

It came from near her head, she realized. Branches hitting the window? No, the window only showed the passing rocky mountainside and nothing else she could make out in the still prevalent darkness.

*Tap tap!*

There it was! Something thick and snake-like hit the top of the coupe window and then pulled back up. Had some of the electricity cables torn off and was flailing around?

Wait, weren't those cables usually connected to a generator in the back of the train and led through the floor?

Connie shrugged, she was far from a mechanical pony, that used to be Fortune's job.

Giving her saddlebags a quick look for any possible sign of theft, she slid the window open and stuck her head out to check for a possible train malfunction. Huh, something was hanging from the roof, something that...

...shot towards her, wrapped tightly around her neck in an instant, and dragged her choking upwards.

A moment of flailing her legs and helplessly begging for air later, the living noose relaxed, leaving Connie to drink in lungfuls of air and the entirety of her situation.

Wind was howling around, the surface she was lying on trembled, and she had trouble getting back on all fours without falling over, but considering how bad things could have been it was fairly calm. Connie found herself slipping backwards, quickly turned her head around, and grabbed a nearby indent with her foreleg. When she finally regained some sort of steadiness on the roof of the moving train and stood up, she looked forwards and froze.

By now, Connie would recognize the titanic form of Black Shield anywhere, and the undead earthpony's tail whipping the air behind her gave a clear explanation of the agonizing bruises all over Connie's neck. The most surprising thing was, however, that Shield was only standing there, watching the unicorn and rubbing some collar Connie didn't recall seeing on her before.

Even a crippled unicorn like Contradiction could, though, feel a charge of magical energy build up and...

...fade without doing anything.

She watched Shield, careful about not slipping on the roof again, but the earthpony didn't look intent on doing anything. Connie, on the other hoof, felt the familiar onset of boiling fury. This earthpony... no matter her circumstances... this earthpony was behind all this. Her breathing quickened and she started trembling.

 _Break her!_

Connie could.

 _Crush her!_

She knew that Shield was far enough in case Connie struck with full power, but such attack might shift the whole train-

 _Obliterate her!_

She couldn't... she had to control herself this time. Every time she failed it made things worse, but this ZOMBIE-

 _End her threat to HIM!_

"Calm down, that's not you..." Connie whispered, "That voice isn't yours... something is wrong but it doesn't matter now. Just focus properly and you can do it. Ignore evil voices in your head, no matter how right they are."

Still, this was why Connie was here, and she wasn't going to let this opportunity get away from her.

As soon as Shield saw the dim flicker of light around Contradiction's horn, she leapt forward. The roof dented where she'd been standing a fraction of a second ago.

Connie had been completely wrong. The distance that looked enough was nothing when accounted for the moving train, and Shield cleared a quarter of the train car length within a second and crashed into the smaller unicorn.

Everything was a rolling ball of pain for Connie, and the best she could do was just blindly shove with her telekinesis. The metal roof underneath her bent, but the weight on top of her disappeared as well.

"Aaaah!" she slid backwards, just barely catching onto another vent before plummeting down the mountainside or under the wheels of the moving train. Pulling herself on all fours, Connie quickly scanned the area and got ready to jump away from...

...Black Shield calmly and steadily standing nearby, tail stabbed into the roof for balance.

Now that Connie knew how Shield would react, she fired up her telekinesis again and, as expected, found herself facing a lunging earthpony. This time, though, she jumped backwards over the hole between train cars in hope that Shield would go whoosh right down and enjoy the final seconds of her un-life as mincemeat.

Shield hadn't been a fighter when she was alive, but not many Royal Guards had really had the misfortune of getting into a life or death situation. Equestria was mostly a peaceful country despite a hiccup here and there, but most unnatural threats weren't dealt with by grunts pounding the pavement like Shield. That, however, didn't mean she hadn't gone through periodical re-trainings and tests.

Plus, all the crazy stuff she'd been through since being reanimated helped.

When Connie jumped back and Shield saw the hole opening underneath her, she had the presence of mind and the body size to simply reach out with her forelegs and pull herself onto the next car. She allowed herself a grin after seeing Contradiction's scowl, but the show wasn't over. Before anything, Shield was a Royal Guard and would act as such unless forced to do otherwise. Thankfully, Contradiction seemed to have some sort of respect for pony life and refrained from breaking her along with the train itself.

Now, if only she could get her onto the next car...

Connie was getting accustomed to the train's movement under her hooves, but she still needed to survive Shield's attacks. What was giving her hope was that while Shield had easier time moving around, it wasn't by much and she could still hold her own.

Backing away over the roof as Shield jumped the next gap, Connie was able to move and charge her telekinesis at the same time. She just needed a small nudge, a bit more control. Shield's quick movements from side to side and the wobbling train were just making it so difficult to simply get a good hold of the flesh golem and rip her in half. Connie needed a little more steady ground, or some more time to get used to things.

She saw Shield pounce again, and her mental push hit this time, cutting the jump short and ramming Shield's muzzle into the roof. Connie used the time she'd bought herself to carefully run away and jump over the next hole between train cars. Shield, however, was soon in pursuit and Connie knew she was definitely slower and weaker. If she wanted to survive and not cause more collateral damage, she couldn't let Shield catch up to her. Connie's goal was close.

Now, if only she could bait Shield onto the penultimate car...

Wrapped in their mental game, both mares, dodging and weaving, cleared the last two cars. When the end of the train was only few steps away, Connie finally got a good mental hold of Shield, focused, and _heaved_. The earthpony whizzed past her surrounded in a white glow, then...

...Connie felt a crushing blow to her side knocking her off balance, then something brushed her hind leg and the world became a blur.

"AAAAAAAAAAAaaaa!"

Hearing Contradiction's panicked scream, Shield smiled and untangled her tail from the unicorn's leg mid-fall. All according to the plan.

Connie fell, covering herself in a telekinetic cushion and rolling away. Shield was far more graceful due to her overwhelming strength, and simply landed with tail impaling the ground and took the remaining kinetic force just by tightening her muscles. The unicorn hissed in pain from the previous hit and touched the spot. Something sticky was there, but it wasn't blood.

Chewing gum and a... wrapper or something?

Nevermind, there were more pressing matters around than some sticky coat. As Connie stood up and shook her head, both of them grinned and said:

"Right where I wanted you."

"Hook, line, and sinker."

They frowned at each other.

" _I_ was baiting _you_!"

" _I_ was baiting _you_!"

Four eyebrows furrowed, four eyes narrowed.

"What? I got you off of the train and, as you might remember from last time, now I'll freaking _end_ you once and for all," Connie growled.

Shield smiled to herself, reassured that both her and Contradiction had the same train of thought concerning preventing harm to passengers.

"Alright," the undead earthpony chuckled, "you got me."

The amused admission did little to quell Connie's fury which was finally allowed to boil over. Her horn flashed, and...

...her focus broke when a blue, shimmering doorway appeared behind Shield and a smaller, robed pony figure walked out of it.

Connie's memory was good enough to put two and two together, recognizing the shape's size as the one from the ceremony. So, they gathered in one place. A mistake she could finally punish with full force and end this once and for all. This time she wasn't wasted beyond all reason. This time...

"Proceed with the plan," the robed unicorn said coldly, "We'll see what she-"

Secret Seeker couldn't finish the sentence because his whole world turned into pain.

Connie was seeing red, and her full power flowed freely now, hindered only by the barest remains of self-control. She laughed as she telekinetically punted the surprised wizard into the steep mountainside to break his skull against the rocks.

She couldn't finish him off, as the massive body of Black Shield was already blocking her view and about to smash Connie's head off.

 _Eradicate her!_

Shield scored a deep bleeding blow to Contradiction's side with her tail stabbing like a scorpion's and was about to land on three legs and knock the unicorn out when she suddenly was much further away than a microsecond before.

In fact, she'd been tossed off of the narrow ledge where the train tracks were and down the mountain. Grabbing the closest outcropping and steadying herself with her tail lengthened and wrapped around another one, she looked upwards.

About three pony lengths, that's what she now had to climb up a nearly vertical incline. Oh well, the mansion had been worse.

Secret Seeker blinked as a shadow appeared in front of him. It raised its hoof, and he had enough presence of mind to roll away before Contradiction's half-physical, half-telekinetic punch _cleaved_ a chunk of raw stone out of the mountain where his head used to be. He was an excellent wizard, though, and he had a repertoire for every situation. Conjuring a purple domed barrier around him, he took a breath to recover and-

The shield shattered with a single blow, sending agonizing feedback shocks through Seeker's body. Then he felt mental pressure surround his skull, threatening to squeeze his brain out of his ears.

Connie shivered, watching the flailing unicorn hanging in the air with eyes wide and manic grin on her muzzle.

 _Return all the pain!_

"DIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" she screeched and _squeezed_.

Seeker vanished just before the pressure of a black hole turned his head atom-sized.

"No no no no no!" Connie stomped the ground, "You're not running away this time!"

She had no idea what happened. The wizard was clearly gone, but...

...she saw white, see-through tentacles form around her and shoot out into the space the enemy had occupied before teleporting away. Their tips disappeared as if entering a hole, but Connie still _felt_ them. It was her telekinesis given shape.

Why? Nothing made sense, but all she was certain of amidst the growing confusion was that she didn't want the enemy to get away.

Hooves got _dragged_ out of empty space by the thick tendrils, followed by the rest of the screaming and cursing mage.

"Wha-"

Seeker couldn't finish his distraught question before a tentacle wrapped around his barrel and squeezed all the air out of him. He tried thrashing around and gasping for breath, but the damn things weren't allowing him to move. What was happening? How could a unicorn with a suppression syndrome do this to him? How could anypony do this to anypony? There was no magic he could recall capable of doing this.

 _Just like you wanted. Now execute him. Get your revenge._

The few remaining brain cells in Connie's head not completely consumed by either rage or the overwhelming 'what the heck just happened?' feeling worked overtime. What she did was not magic, it was a divine ability she had seen Blaze use before. She shouldn't have any divine power, though, that made no sense. And what about the tentacle thing?

Wait...

The spark of clarity coming Connie's way faded when the rest of her everything conjured a telekinetic spike aimed at the choking unicorn in front of her clearly on the verge of losing consciousness. More pressure... launch!

Fire everywhere. When the ringing in Connie's head stopped, she realized the hacking, coughing, and searing pain all over was hers. Everything burned, she could barely see through the veil of tears, and every breath felt like having molten magma piped right into her lungs.

Blinking away tears, Connie stood up on her now overly sensitive legs for which even the cold morning mountain air felt like being submersed in boiling water. The wizard was sitting a fair distance away surrounded by a circle of flames. However, a chunk of his barrel was missing along with his foreleg, and guts were spilling out of his torn abdomen. He was clearly in shock, still sitting and staring at his remaining foreleg covered in blood while blood trickled out of his mouth.

Looking down on herself, Connie realized she wasn't in much better shape, but at least still in one drastically charred, smoldering, dark piece. She chuckled, not like her coat hadn't been charcoal-black before anyway.

Black Shield pulled herself up on the ledge and her mouth gaped for a second. Her 'master' was clearly as near death as possible without actually dropping, because she felt his magic still forcing her actions, but this opened a new option for her. As soon as she recovered from the shock, she charged at the swaying, blinking, and stumbling unicorn with small fires still in her mane and coat.

As she got close, she saw Contradiction turn her head and fumble backwards in growing panic. The telekinetic shove only slowed Shield this time. Contradiction fell on her plot, raising her forelegs in front of her muzzle. Rearing on her hind legs, Shield could very easily break them both along with the unicorn's skull...

...but she forced the confused magic inside her to obey _her_ this time.

After all, her master was dying, right? It was much more important to save him than to kill the already defenseless attacker. After just a quick jab which sent Contradiction on her back, Shield turned away and rushed as fast as she could towards Secret Seeker. Maybe, she hoped, just maybe she wouldn't make it in time.

However, she was wrong. She saw the two rings on Seeker's horn shimmer just as the unicorn's body began rebuilding itself. New blood, new organs, new limb, new skin, new coat. All right in front of Shield's eyes.

The utterly exhausted but unhurt unicorn fell over twice before standing up with the help of Shield's tail.

"Thank... stars..." Seeker gasped for breath, "for extensive... research... and... offensive contingency spells."

"The fire?" Shield nodded to the smoking and blackened mountainside all around.

"Yes..." Seeker keeled over on his backside, and said the exact thing Shield hoped not to hear, "I think... I've got the grasp... of the rings' power. Now... erase... the witnesses."

Shield stopped her body just for enough time to ask:

"Shouldn't we get you out of here instead?"

"Kill her... or buy me a minute... and I'll do it myself."

Shield really, REALLY didn't want to do it, but she had no choice anymore. After such a direct order, Contradiction had to die.

Connie saw carefully approaching Black Shield through the haze of flashing stars still clouding her vision.

 _You stopped ME, a deity, how dare you mock my remaining presence by losing to a MORTAL? That is unthinkable. CRUSH THEM LIKE THE WORMS THEY ARE!_

She laughed quietly. Things made just a flicker more sense than a moment before. She had been sure the voice of rage calling for blood and revenge hadn't been hers. Connie knew she wasn't a good or a nice pony, but such murderous intent had been unnatural. Over time she'd chalked it up to being mortally worried for Cromach who said he might love her eventually.

But no, that wasn't it, and the real enemy finally revealed itself. Now, though, now that she knew the rage wasn't her own, but something imposed on her by the foreign presence within herself, she could be herself, she could focus, she could _fight back_.

"Harmony?" she whipered.

 _I admire your fighting spirit, but you cannot keep watching everything you do all the time. You will slip up, and your power will give me my revenge on you damn ponies! The lesser creatures who stoppe- slowed me down will live through carnage they deserve._

"I will find somepony who knows about divinity and gods, and they will purge you out of me," Connie breathed out, trying simultaneously to deal with the voice in her head and Shield inching forward. Thankfully, for reasons she didn't know, Shield was overly careful and hesitant in her approach and was giving her a ton of time to sort this out and recover.

 _No, they will not. I am a reflection of the god's power inside you. You faced me, you stared into the abyss and it stared back. Your power is half yours and half divine. It is both my reward, my admission of your temporary victory, and a curse, my chance to get back at you. I truly AM you, just like Nightmare's power IS a part of the griffon you want to mate with until both your hearts explode. What a wonderful sight that would be._

"Why me...?"

 _You, the griffon, the fake alicorn, and the hybrid hippogriff were the ones who fought me and my avatar directly._

"I, Cromach, Blaze, and Straw?"

The griffon already possesses Nightmare's essence, the hippogriff was Nightmare's direct host at the time, and I am sure she left a mark on him as well, the traitor alicorn trash... got what he deserved, but you were the only one untouched. Not anymore.

"Doesn't... matter. Now... that I know it's you... I won't lose it again."

 _We will see, but for now do not dare shame me by getting your head caved in by the flesh golem._

The heavy weight in Connie's head disappeared, and she looked Black Shield in the eyes, now calm, focused, and collected.

Glimmering purple projectiles from the healed unicorn obviously controlling Shield pierced the air and shattered against a carefully crafted fields of telekinetic pressure. Connie quickly ducked underneath Shield's left hook and sent her flying upwards with another mental blow. She knew any physical attacks she could land unarmed would do little to nothing against a golem with hardened flesh, so she just dodged and used her most powerful asset.

Now that she could focus, Connie found out Shield, aside from her absurd strength, size, reach, speed, and endurance, wasn't a dangerous enemy. She was a poor fighter with ridiculous physical attributes, but that was it. Even this tired, Connie could bait, step backwards, and pretend to attack without actually doing so to control Shield's movements.

A spike of pain went through her head as Connie had to deflect a ball of fire flying at her like a meteorite on crack which splattered the area around her in liquid flames. The wizard was the real problem, Shield was just something to occupy her. It was clear offensive fire magic was his speciality, but contingency spells proved he had knowledge of high-tier magic as well. As soon as he would realize direct attacks are the least useful and do something tricky, Connie would be in real trouble.

More fireballs.

Good, he clearly wasn't used to the stress of combat and thinking properly. Connie just needed to step aside and...

...her hind leg gave out, leaving her open for a punch from Shield which, while softened by telekinetic shield, knocked the air out of her.

Connie couldn't get up anymore with the earthpony's hoof on her barrel. Her world was spinning, she gasped for breath, and her mind was too clouded after such a long combat. That sucked, when she finally conquered her head, her body ruined by the TSS caugh up to her.

On the other hoof, if she didn't need to focus on her body anymore, then...

She grinned at the approaching wizard and Shield standing on top of her.

"You know," Secret Seeker said, carefully examining the burned and battered black and white unicorn on the ground, "A second servant might be useful, especially if she keeps her strange powers after reanimation. An excellent protector and a research subject."

"Admit it, you are just tired of my plot," Shield commented, trying to buy Contradiction a little time to recuperate.

"Not now," Seeker nipped that attempt in the bud.

A shiver ran down Shield's spine as red dots started floating around Seeker's horn. She could remember the last sight she saw when alive anywhere. The bloody specks in the air dropped and drained into Contradiction who, strangely, didn't move at all. Shield recalled the spell being quick but painful. Perhaps the mare was too weak to even squirm anymore?

Then they heard the rumbling from above. The creaking of tortured stone and breaking earth. Seeker's spell faded.

"Heheheh," Connie chuckled, momentarily free from the life-draining magic, and whispered, "You know... what they said about me... once? That I could raze... a building. Time to prove them... wrong."

"Holy... Celestia's... plot..." Shield looked upwards and her jaw dropped.

Like in slow motion, she watched massive shards of rock clearly _ripped_ out of the high mountain roll down, gathering more and more of their shimmering and fragmenting brethren into a gigantic avalanche about to wash all three of them down along with the ledge and the train tracks. She couldn't believe what she was witnessing. A gigantic half moon chunk of the mountain which she's lived on her entire life, and a while after it, was now missing, falling down on her.

She was tearing down the entire side of mount Canterlot...

"Shield, to me!" she heard Secret Seeker, and immediately jumped to protect him from the incoming rocks, "We're leaving!"

Seeker's horn flared, and...

...nothing happened.

Looking down on the white tentacles wrapped around both her and Seeker's legs, she hear her master yell:

"NOT AGAIN!"

"Hey, you thieving bastards!" they both heard Contradiction scream while sitting up, "If I'm to go, I'm taking you down with me."

"KILL HER!" Seeker roared.

Shield started running, but the first giant rocks landed on the ledge, shattering it and the train tracks. She looked back at her master.

"Aaaaah!" Secret Seeker, surrounded by his barrier, was falling down the mountainside like a bright puple marble.

Shield couldn't feel pain, but she sure as hay felt the impact that half-crushed her from above. Had the path underneath her not broken as well, she'd have gotten the full pancake treatment.

Connie, having the 'advantage' of being on her back when it all started was already falling, surrounded by her own telekinetic ball. Watching the other two being devoured by the avalanche, she relaxed...

...and then she saw the two bright flashes.

"NOOOOOOOO!" she screamed, realizing that she was too weak to stop them from teleporting away, "I'll fix my mistakes, I'll fix-"

A larger rock bounced away from her mental cushion, making Connie bite her tongue.

The Order of the Silver Sun's purpose was to train normal individuals as a group to fight divine and unnatural threats, powerful but solitary enemies. She... she went against everything she'd been taught since Cromach got her off of the streets sucking dicks for food two years ago.

Contradiction tried to make everything right alone, and that would be her final mistake, one she wouldn't get a chance to fix.

She hit the mountainside, stopping briefly only to see a bigger stone just above her, then more pain, then darkness.

And regret. Short-lived regret.


	23. Mistakes: Day off

Few hours after the train incident and back in Manehattan, the recruits were woken up by an Order guard knocking on their door and asking for Anvil. Much to the guard's embarrassment and the trio's amusement, Anvil paraded herself completely naked around the suite for few minutes before following the poor blushing pony outside in her tight white pants. By now, Astray was absolutely certain the minotaur was flaunting everything she had on purpose and her outrage at being called out was mostly fake. Anyway, he definitely wasn't going to complain.

Anvil returned soon after, informing everyone about today's morning training. No one had any objections. Bubbles loved messing around outside, and scaling Cross' crazy course definitely counted. Astray, while sighing internally, was seeing definite improvements the harsh training brought to him. The three left the mansion, Bubbles and Astray following uncharacteristically quiet Anvil.

"To be honest," said Astray, taking his white shirt off and tossing it over his bag in the mansions' shade while watching the now painfully familiar wooden obstacles, "I was kind of worried Contradiction would be here with shock collars again."

"Yeah, about that..." Anvil dropped her clothes as well, opting for wearing only her old loincloth she'd been using during every training happening in the summer sunlight rather than a skirt or something binding, "The morning call for me was from Cromach. He told me Contradiction is no longer our leader, and I am to temporarily take her place."

"Anvil's going up in the world!" Bubbles jumped, cheering, much to Anvil's hesitation and Astray's muffled chuckling.

"Congratulations," said the satyr, "I would have given the position to Bubbles, but her strategy would be to play fetch with the bad guys until they dropped and begged for mercy."

"CAN WE DO THAT?" the demoness' eyes practically _glowed_ at the idea.

"No, we can't," Anvil smacked Astray's head, "Stop giving her ideas. Now, ehm, my official leadership statement is like this - since I didn't have the time to arrange any training with the changelings or other teams we're going to do the usual morning routine so that Astray here doesn't get lazy and complacent. Just two rounds, nothing insane, but try to finish as fast as possible. Then we'll switch it up and go to the mansion gym for a short interval training. You get the rest of the day off, I guess, and we'll meet up in the evening for the old pervert's group groping session."

"Hand-to-hoof combat," Astray corrected her, already heading to Cross' gauntlet, "The grabs and throws are important part of it."

"That excuse loses its meaning when the changeling or griffon specifically tells you he's doing it for the squeezing."

"You must admit he could wipe the floor with the three of us easily, though, just with his arms... forelegs."

"I'm not saying Antares is not a master of his arts, I'm saying that with where he usually grabs me compared to let's say you or Bubbly he should at least buy me dinner first," Anvil stopped and punched the first climbing wall with her both hands in a quick one-two, "Alright, save your breath for the training now. I want to see you break your record otherwise I'll borrow the shock collars for next time, lazy ass."

Astray just gave her a smile. At first he'd felt intimidated by the difficult course. Then, when he learned how much more murderous it really was, he'd been worried every time Connie was around. Now, though, with only Anvil and Bubbles, he finally felt pumped and excited.

He winked at Bubbles who was already jumping on the spot.

"I'm feeling like this could be the day I get you both."

"You wish," Anvil snorted, smashing her hands together.

"Pffblblff!" Bubbles stuck her tongue out at him.

"Hmph!" Astray crossed his arms on his chest, "If I end up last then I'm buying the winner ice cream or something."

Well, they were right, but for some reason Astray just felt relaxed and ready.

"Go!"

They all shot out at Anvil's call. Finally, both the minotaur and the satyr felt the joyful excitement of friendly, no-stakes, low-pressure competition of the world Bubbles seemingly lived in.

As expected, Astray finished the two laps last, much to the jeering and boo-ing of Anvil and quickly joining Bubbles. On the other hand, he _did_ beat his record.

After the torturous twenty minutes, Anvil led them to the gym which the others had visited only once or twice after first day's orientation. Contradiction's scheduled training had always been more of the skill or outside body exercises sort rather than bodybuilding, but Anvil needed a bigger challenge so she came to the cellar gym daily.

Sweating and aching, the trio ended the morning in the common showers.

"Gotta admit, I'm a bit embarrassed here," Astray mumbled nervously as the hot water flowed over him from a nozzle on the wall, his main issue being the other two and several more mares and stallions in clear view, "I thought there would be separate showers."

"It's based on princess Celestia's Royal Guard rules," Anvil explained with eyes closed while lathering soap all over herself, "In the eyes of the law, there are no differences between males and females. There are only Royal Guards."

"The law needs better glasses," Astray turned his head away as a mare passed by, openly watching him bent over and washing his legs.

"Get over it," Anvil scrubbed the short horns on her head, "If you're worried about any _accidents_ , heh, then look around at half of the stallions. Besides, I've seen you naked so many times..."

"Well, I'm easily forgettable, but you... not so much... with all that... umm, everything."

"Thanks for the compliment, now stop staring before your nose starts bleeding."

Astray realized he wasn't keeping himself to himself anymore and returned to his own scrubbing. He gave a quick peek to the nearby stallions and spotted that they weren't exactly 'keeping their professionalism' themselves.

"Glarblggalrgb!"

His head snapped to the side to look at the strange noise from below. Bubbles was sitting on the floor with mouth open, gurgling the water flowing from the nozzle. Damn, last time he heard something similar it was from an undead throat about to bite him. He shook his head, returning from the quick nightmarish daydream to reality. It was okay now, at least temporarily. Those were just his friends, several other ponies curiously watching Bubbles as well, and Anvil once again soaping her every nook and cranny. He recalled what she'd said and replied:

"That happens only in movies and comics."

"I assure you that I can smash your head into the wall so hard you'll be crapping tiles for a month."

"Aaand here's the minotaur we all know and love," Astray turned the water off and went to work on himself with the towel.

Bubbles nudged his hip.

"All done?"

"Just gotta dry out. Give me a second."

The pegasus mare previously eating every part of Astray's body with her eyes passed by on her way to the full-body dryers.

"If you're free tonight, give me a call. Room-"

"GRRRRWRR!" Bubbles gave the mare a 'wide smile'.

"Eeeeh, or maybe some other time," she rushed off.

"You suck with mares," Anvil sneered at Astray.

"Sorry," Bubbles' ears drooped, "It just slipped out."

The satyr shrugged.

"Doesn't matter. Master Antares would kill me if I missed his daily session. Anyway, there are a bunch of ponies better than me she can spend quality evening with."

[center]***[/center]

The trio found themselves back in their room, and Anvil asked:

"So, what are you going to do with your day off?"

Astray shrugged.

"I'll just grab a spare bed sheet, some food from the cantine, and relax outside, I think."

"Wow, talk about boring."

"Fine, what's your great and exciting plan then?"

"I have to work out some schedule with Cross for few days in advance," she nodded towards the window, "As soon as he's done with the morning weapon training. Then I think I'll check the library for something."

"You know, for such a 'physical' minotaur you're a real bookworm."

"Healthy mind, healthy body. Anyway, I don't know what this leadership thing is all about and I sure as hay am not asking Contradiction, so I'll just bother some high-ups about what I'm supposed to do. I might take a stroll around Manehattan later when I'm done. Maybe finally buy some useful clothes."

Astray's eyes slid to the twin massive bulges of her bottom hugged by the white pants. Anvil noticed and added:

"I'll be sure to keep these just for the hilarity value."

"I have few bits saved up, maybe I'll go out for some big city snack or something. It might be enough."

"What do you mean?"

"I've got about twenty bits left or so."

"You can borrow mine!" Bubbles stuck her foreleg underneath her bed and pulled out a rather large jingling sack, "It's heavy like this anyway. I got it after you said we'd go out for ice cream. Umm, I don't really know how much this can buy."

"Where did you get it?" Astray's jaw dropped.

Anvil facepalmed.

"We're on a payroll, you idiot."

"Even I?" Astray was still confused.

"You. Work. Get. Bits. Buy. Stuff," Anvil rolled her eyes, "And they call _me_ a dumb cow."

"I, umm, where-?" Astray's coming to terms with the situation wasn't going well.

"The nice pony in the cellars," Bubbles examined a one bit coin, "He had lots."

"That's the Order treasurer," Anvil explained, "Just tell him who you are, he'll inspect you and tell you your balance. So easy even you can do it... on a second or third attempt."

"I'll check it out," Astray, still in disbelief, stood up and left.

"Wanna play something?" Bubbles asked the minotaur looking out of the open window at the training recruits.

"Nah, I think Cross will be giving his trainees a break in few minutes. The sooner I sort this training stuff out the more free time I'll have later. Go outside with the idiot, Manehattan is a pretty lively city."

"A... lot of ponies?" Bubbles asked uncertainly.

Anvil ruffled her mane.

"You'll be fine. Just remember to stay calm, you are a citizen like any of them. If in doubt, ask Astray. He's just slightly less socially inept than you but it should be enough."

"Okay. I'll do my best."

"Just enjoy yourself, dummy."

Putting on even her shirt and a badge to look more official, Anvil took a deep breath and went outside, leaving Bubbles alone in the suddenly too big room.

When Astray returned carrying a hoof-sized pouch, he found the room empty of anything other than a round bump on Bubbles' bed. The bump moved when the door shut, and Astray peeked under the blanket to see two worried pink eyes staring back.

"Umm, is anything wrong?" he asked.

"T-there's ponies everywhere, right? Like more than here in the mansion."

"Where?"

"In Manehattan."

"Sure, millions."

Bubbles whimpered. Astray sat down next to her and patted her head. She eased into the touch, putting her muzzle on his lap.

"They won't scream?"

"Bubbly, you were in Canterlot with us and you didn't have a problem with that. How come?"

"That was on a mission, and Canterlot is smaller, and it was not the middle of the day, and ponies still stared."

They indeed had stared, just like Astray did now. Bubbles was scared and distressed by absolutely nothing, but how could he explain it right... or if not right then helpfully?

"You see... you know how I and everyone stare at Anvil, right?"

"Mhm."

"And you know well we don't hate her or are afraid of her... much, right?"

"You want her to help you sleep, don't you?"

Astray blushed, but... where was the harm in little imagination?

"I- I'm afraid my body wouldn't handle that well. The point is that I like her now despite how mean she was at first," he rubbed Bubbles' muzzle, "But I see where you're coming from. You have similar effect on ponies who know you."

"I know..."

"On the other hand, no one, and I really mean _no one_ can dislike you when they get to know you. That means no good ponies can hate you, they just don't know you. And if they keep not liking you they are bad ponies, and what are we training ourselves to do to bad ponies?"

"Bite them!"

"Exactly. Still, if you don't want to go I'll stay here with you. We can do something in the gardens or, I don't know, whatever you want."

Bubbles shook her head and sat up with a determined expression.

"No! If Anvil can face the big words in the history books all the time I don't have to be spooked by loud noises and weird smells. I'll have to do it eventually, with you or alone if need be," she hesitated, "You're still coming with me, are you?"

Astray's heart nearly gave out at the sight of the mare with puffed cheeks and defiant glare whose ears nonetheless still lay flat against her head.

"Of course I am," he stood up and opened the chest which contained his belongings. Each of the trio had one in the room, plus since it had originally been for four ponies, there had been an empty one left which was now in the bathroom, filled with ice and various bottles. Anvil sometimes had excellent ideas.

"What are you doing?" Bubbles asked when she saw Astray put his armored greaves and gauntlets on, "Is it because of the evil ponies?"

"Huh? No, I just want to get used to the weight. I doubt the full suit will ever be for me, I just don't like how it slows me down, but I like the boots and heavy gloves. I think I'll use them along with some lighter armor."

"Okay," Bubbles dragged her bag of gold from under her bed again.

"You're not taking all that," Astray crossed his arms on his chest.

"Too much?"

"Definitely," he snapped his fingers, rummaged through Bubbles' bag, and ended up with a small pile of coins valuing hundred bits, "Go return the rest to the treasury and ask for a small pouch. This much will be more than enough."

"Alright, I'll be right back," she opened her mouth to grab the bag and stopped herself right before accidentally biting the cloth off, likely along with some gold. Then she muttered, "Use claws, not mouth."

Accompanied by the fading sound of the heavy bag being dragged on the floor, Astray tightened all the necessary straps, washed his face, and tried to persuade himself that he was ready for something completely new - going out with a real friend who might or might not be in voracious love with him.

"You just can't predict life," he shook his head. Then he recalled everything _before_ this last month, "Or at least some bits."

The gate separating the mansion gardens from the big city closed behind Bubbles and Astray, leaving them alone with the two saluting Order recruits guarding it, a unicorn and an earthpony. The mansion, just like most of its kind, lay in a quiet high-profile part of the city which meant there were only occasional groups of ponies and griffons walking around on the street. A fact that was very welcomed by Bubbles who had arrived here in a cage inside a carriage and had been let out only when safely behind the proper walls.

"Remember, you've been through this once already, and there are not that many ponies everywhere. Canterlot was worse," she muttered to herself. Her confidence soared when she felt a warm palm touch her head and remain there. Soaking in its heat rivaling that of close-to-noon sun, she took a deep breath and followed Astray who started walking down the sidewalk towards where Bubbles heard far too much commotion to be comfortable.

The gated community they passed through was full of mansions and big houses belonging to nobility, each one cut off of the city by high walls guarded by ponies whose job was to look armed and menacing.

"Hello!" Bubbles, to combat her anxiety using the growing excitement deep down, greeted a looming unicorn guard they were passing. He looked at her, narrowed his eyes, saw the official Silver Sun badge on Bubbles' collar, nodded, and saluted.

"Greetings, ma'am!"

She gave him a wide smile. The guard paled. Bubbles' ears drooped again.

"It could help if you just smiled, not grinned every time," Astray commented and the corners of his lips moved up, "Like this."

Bubbles tried, but her teeth were simply too long, and even a faint smile showed a little of the deadly maw. She had to remind herself that all ponies she met after being brought to the mansion eventually liked her. Even miss Connie hadn't really killed her, only scared her a lot.

Everything was going to be fine, right?

She gulped when she saw the thick crowd of ponies on the street crossing the one they were walking on in the distance. The good part was that she could easily blend in and nopony would pay her too much attention.

Blend in...

...

...

"What if I get lost?" she asked.

"You're a smart pony, Bubbly. Just ask anypony not too foreign looking how you can get to the noble part of the city. That's what I'll have to do as well. It's not like I've been in Manehattan ever before."

"Oh, right. Just ask," she felt really, really dumb now, and then whispered, "You're not an animal, you don't need to panic, you just ask, you're a pony just like they are."

"So, got any idea what you want to do?" Astray pondered, not exactly sure himself.

"What is there to do?" Bubbles raised her voice as they stopped, giving her time to take in the sheer volume of loud ponies flowing up and down the street they were about to join.

So. Many. Colours. Scents. Sounds. Everything.

Bubbles' head spun and she sat down. This was nothing like Canterlot, but also nothing like what she expected. Nopony was paying her any attention other than a passing glance.

She grinne-

Ehm.

She smiled.

"You know what?" Bubbles stood up again, "Let's just go for a walk. Maybe we'll see something interesting."

"Sounds good to me."

They blended into the crowd. Well, she did. Astray stuck out like a sore thumb. That was a good thing, because after not even five minutes Bubbles regretted not having a leash around her neck. Thankfully, the satyr walked slowly, taking the milling life of the bustling city in.

And then it got even worse.

The street opened into a massive plaza the noise of which deafened Bubbles' keen senses at first.

"-"

She saw Astray looking at her and opening his mouth, but couldn't make out any words. He understood and leaned down to her.

"You okay?"

She nodded.

"MIDDAY DELIVERY, OUT OF THE WAY, OUT OF THE WAY! SPECIAL EDITION, MOUNT CANTERLOT CRUMBLING!" two screaming ponies riding a cart full of newspapers pulled by other two passed by.

"What?" Bubbles' eyes bulged.

"Tabloids..." Astray shook his head, "They make moutains out of molehills all the time."

"Oh okay. So the princess is all right."

"She has wings," Astray shrugged, then hummed to himself, "I've got an idea. How do you feel about a lunch?"

"Is it noon already?"

"Close enough. Do you smell something delicious around?"

"EVERYTHING!"

"Ooookay, let's slow down a little. Engage your nose and let's see where you get us."

Now that was something Bubbles could get into. While the city bubbled with scents and, to be honest, stenches, Bubbles sniffed around the whole plaza followed by the satyr and picked up a strange trail of something unknown which nonetheless made her drool.

A mare standing further down a narrow dead-end alley waved at Bubbles. For some reason she was wearing thin straps of red clothing on her backside and a see-through veil around her barrel. Bubbles was feeling the summer heat already, and couldn't comprehend why somepony would wear clothes willingly today. She didn't count Anvil, of course.

"Astray, that mare keeps wiggling her bottom and winking at me."

The satyr looked to the side-alley from which he recieved a seductive wink as well.

"Umm, you remember how you told us you used to help ponies sleep? She does it for money."

What happened next the satyr couldn't have expected in a thousand years.

"You're doing a great job, making ponies' lives better, and they like you for it!" Bubbles called out to the prostitute while beaming proudly.

"Yeeeeah, let's go," Astray picked up the pace to get out of sight, followed by Bubbles as happy as one can be, "So, how's the food search going?"

Bubbles took a deep breath again. It was closer, very close. Almooooost...

Two corners later and a street down, Bubbles stopped in front of a gruesome display, and Astray was immediately sure why this store wasn't on any main avenue.

It was a griffon bistro, and clearly a well-known one because it was _packed_. With fear quelled by growing hunger, excitement, and the delicious smell coming from the inside, Bubbles pushed the door open and entered. About twenty griffons, few diamond dogs, and one batpony turned their heads to them.

The two suddenly felt very, very _alone_.

A chubby griffon built like a mountain and wearing an apron walked over with a still bloodied cleaver in his talons. The wide, open room filled with tables looked like a place where the working class could just drop in for a meal or grab something for later at any time of the day and, if the batpony was any indication, night as well.

"Welcome to Scraps, name's Halstead!" the griffon announced with what had to be a combination of some griffon accent and Manehattan slur, "We don't get much of your kind here, little earthpony," he patted Bubbles' head, "And I have no idea what the heck you are, but if you eat meat you're welcome here," he offered his foreleg to Astray who shook it. The griffon refused to let go, stood up on his hind legs, and leaned towards the satyr, "But if you're the health inspector... then I'm sure I can add fresh selection of 'new' meat to my menu."

Astray went pale, and Bubbles growled.

"Just kidding! Just kidding," the griffon laughed heartily, slapping Astray's back. Leaning down to Bubbles with her mouth still open, he added, "Forgive my old eyes, you're no earthpony. Truth be told, I've never seen anypony like you either. Claws and teeth like a dragon crossed with a buzzsaw. If you're a herbivore then I'm a little chicken. What'll it be?" he stood up quickly and pointed to the blackboard on the wall covered in scribbles, "Drinks first?"

Astray and Bubbles, still taken aback by the greeting, exchanged glances.

"Got any juice?" Bubbles asked.

"Tomato, orange, apple."

"Tomato?!" she stuck her tongue out.

"Batponies love it for some reason. It gives me diarrhea personally."

"You know what?" the demoness came to the conclusion that today was about exploring new things, "I'll try it."

The griffon nodded.

"And you, half-minotaur or pony, half... I don't even dare to guess?"

"I'm a satyr, and I have no clue what the non-pony half is. Got some light beer?"

"Coming right up!" the griffon rushed off.

"That was... something," Bubbles breathed out.

"Yeeeeah," Astray said slowly, looking around for a free table. Thankfully, one opened in the meantime so that the two could keep to themselves. After an examination of the wall menu, Astray settled for something called chicken schnitzel with mashed potatoes and Bubbles went for spicy chicken wings.

Halstead arrived only few minutes later with the orders. Bubbles immediately chomped two of the crunchy blobs, bones included, much to the amazed clapping of surrounding griffons.

"AAaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" she coughed out a thin plume of fire, immediately chugging down her red drink which hissed inside her throat.

"Don't go too fast, little missy. Halstead's sauce is for real stallions," one griffon said amidst the laughter of others.

Astray, on the other hand, was carefully chewing the presented meat and discovering that, while most ponies found meat disgusting and were sick afterwards, he was definitely enjoying himself. He might regret it later in the bathroom, but that was a problem for future Astray, not present one.

The lunch was cheap, infinitely better than the Order stuff which was made by recruits on duty learning cooking under the supervision of a real cook, exotic, and filling. Astray made a mental note to come here more often now that he knew he actually had the money. Afterwards, he and Bubbles took a lazy, calm stroll ending in...

"Holy moly!" Bubbles watched the wide green areas with foals playing all over, jogging ponies, relaxing visitors, and many many more sights.

...an enormous public park.

Astray immediately located the nearest shady bench overlooking a pond and sat down. Bubbles jumped on the bench next to him, not letting her eyes leave the fillies and colts chasing each other.

"The lunch got me," he relaxed, "Whatever that griffon sells, we should feed it to anyone evil so that they can't run away. I feel as if I ate a lead ball. Delicious lead ball."

"Hmmmm," Bubbles hummed thoughtfully, "I could go for something," she sniffed the air, "Something sweet."

Astray looked around for what she could have been smelling, finding an ice cream cart nearby. He propped himself to stand up, but Bubbles stopped him.

"I'll try."

"Then get me a scoop of the chocolate one," Astray sat back down, "Might as well finish myself off completely for today."

"Okay," she trotted off to the vendor. The cart had a glass front part hidden in the shade of a makeshift roof where the sweet smelling, colourful tubs lay in uncharacteristically freezing air.

Magic? It had to be, but the vendor was a pegasus.

Bubbles didn't really think too hard about it. She knew she didn't know enough to come to a real conclusion so she didn't bother making empty guesses.

"Hello, mister, umm, salespony. Can I get a little of whatever this is?" she pointed to the labeled tubs.

"Sure thing, young lady," the middle-aged pegasus nodded, "It's ice cream. A bit for two scoops or two bits for five."

So this was the promised reward! Well worth the wait, at least according to Bubbles' nose.

"Umm, give me one chocolate one, and two... what's this mixed one?"

"Eeeerm, my ladle dropped into the wrong vat and I'm selling it cheaper as a cherry-kiwi mix. It's not bad, but kind of weird so not many ponies want it."

"I'll take the double one."

The vendor gave her a surprised smile which she requited. A moment later he presented two ice cream cones which she carefully grabbed. That left her with a difficult conundrum - she really wasn't used to walking on her hind legs but didn't want to slobber all over Astray's cone.

Oh god, the innuendo possibilities.

Astray watched the unsteadily wobbling mare for a moment before giving up and walking over to take his ice cream. Bubbles let out a sigh of relief and trotted along on three legs before sitting down on the bench and chomping off half of her cargo.

Her eyes crossed.

"Just like with the hot stuff, don't eat it too fast," Astray said after hearing the whimper.

Bubbles covered her head with one foreleg to stop the onset of brain freeze.

"Why does everything tasty try to hurt me?"

"As they say, take all good things in moderation. So, how did it go? Did the pony have a problem with you?"

Bubbles shook her head.

"No, he was nice like you. I even helped him by buying stuff nopony else wanted," she beamed proudly, presenting the remaining red and green mess rapidly melting on her cone, "Oh!" she noticed and shoved the whole thing into her mouth.

"Oh dear," Astray watched as she stuck her tongue out and tried in vain to clean her whole muzzle. He pulled out his money pouch and wiped Bubbles off with the cloth. He leaned in, taking a closer look at his inefficient work, "Meh, better than noth-"

And then he felt soft hair tickling his lips which met with Bubbles' thicker, rusty ones still tasting of fruit, followed by a wide, flat tongue entering his shocked mouth...

...where it stopped and waited for something?

Astray slowly pushed Bubbles away and looked into two puzzled pink eyes. He leaned in again and gave her a short peck on the lips.

She licked his face.

So much for romance.

Wiping the slimy trail off of his face, Astray grabbed Bubbles and she followed his lead, sitting on his lap and putting her forelegs on his shoulders.

"How was it?" she asked.

"Umm, the first time I wasn't called a monster whorse during it, so I guess that kiss was the best I've ever had," Astray's hand brushed Bubbles' neck and back, "What got into you?"

She gave him a short kiss again, just testing the waters, no tongue this time.

"I'm feeling good, nothing's wrong for once, everything is perfect, so I just went for it. Anvil said it was a good way to start. She told me if I tried too much too fast you might not like it with what happened to you before you joined."

Astray sighed. Still, maybe it was time to stop the Badlands caravan from burdening him, to deal with it once and for all. Cromach had been right, and maybe Bubbles was the little spark of hope to finally set him free. Like poison bleeding from the vein, he let the bad blood out.

"You know, I thought that was the best I could ever get. I was happ- content with it. I might have been wrong, or maybe this is just the little bright moment that will make anything bad to happen infinitely worse... but I guess it's worth it. How about we try things out and see where it goes?"

"Yessss!" Bubbles punched the air, missing Astray's head by a hair with her claw, "Oops, let me kiss it better."

Assaulted by an enthusiastic barrage of pecks, nips, bites, and kisses, Astray barely could give a few of his own. He expected Bubbles to get tired, but out of nowhere it was him who had to relax and try to catch a breath.

"Feeling... woozy..." he mumbled, "Must be... the griffon food."

"Oh. Oh?" Bubbles stopped, "Sorry."

"What?" Astray wanted to say it wasn't her fault, but as soon as Bubbles stopped laying on the love, he felt the fatigue fade, "What's going on?"

"Umm, promise you won't get mad?"

"Of course."

"Anvil said that might happen if I overdid it. She said I was part a, umm, suck-Q-buzz or something. That means super sleeper helper. I'm so good you want to go to bed right now."

A succubus, even Astray had heard about them. He would have guessed that Bubbles' demon half would be some kind of killer due to the claws, teeth, and resilience, but this would make sense as well. She was adorable, beyond adorable, and lovable in a way that would make anyone with a heart want to protect her. The real question was, though, which part was real?

And, of course, the answer was right there - all of it. The mare with the body of a half-succubus, the mind of a half-foal, and the killer instinct of a full murder machine was in love with him. The thing was that the more time he spent with her, the less he cared about the little details, or big details.

She was genuine, and she wanted him. HIM.

"Well, all that means is that you have to leave it for the evening, Bubbly."

"Really? I can't bring myself to do it more if it is hurting you."

Astray's fingers traced the rapidly fading smile on Bubbles' muzzle.

"As I said, all good things in moderation, heh. For both of us."

She pressed her suddenly boiling hot body against his and put her head on his shoulder. Astray was waiting for something, but nothing more happened. They just relaxed in the shade, surrounded by the sounds of ponies walking around, foals playing, the jingling of bells on the ice cream cart, and all the other sounds of a city during early afternoon.

"Does this change anything?" Astray asked carefully.

"I like you more."

"I mean... huh," he ran his hand down the side of Bubbles' hind leg, "Actually, I don't know what I mean."

"Wanna play fetch?" she pushed herself away and looked at his face, soft, near-toothless smile gracing her muzzle.

Astray let out a long breath. He realized he was making this needlessly difficult. Bubbles just wanted to spend time with him, that was all.

"Sure. Got anything to throw?"

She looked around, and Astray finally realized his shirt was completely drenched with sweat where Bubbles had been touching him. It indeed _was_ a boiling day even here in the tree shade. Strange, the entire front of him smelled sweet. That had to be Bubbles' doing.

*CRUNCH!*

"Hewe!" Bubbles smiled at him with a piece of wood previously being a part of their protective tree.

"Come on, that's public property. You can't just bite off anything you need," Astray looked around nervously, "What are we going to say if somepony asks."

She spat it out on his lap.

"It was like that when I found it!" she beamed.

Astray gave the new deep claw scars leading up the tree an examining stare, then looked at Bubbles who whistled innocently and hid her forelegs behind her back.

He shrugged.

"Well, I guess that checks out," the satyr broke a short stick off of the branch, and looked for a suitable place to throw it, "Let's see if you can catch this one."

Standing up to take a good swing, Astray lobbed as hard as he could.

"Hah, eas-blrblrlgll!" Bubbles mindlessly following the tossed piece of wood went 'whoosh' straight into the pond. To her credit, she popped out of the water with the stick in her mouth and in few more tempos was out, rushing back towards the bench.

"Well done," Astray stuck his tongue out at her as she shook water off of herself in a doglike fashion.

An hour of messing around, and two ice creams, later during which Astray had to once again admire Bubbles' stamina, the two dried out and went home.

Back in the mansion, after taking a thorough shower to get rid of the sweat, Astray walked out of the bathroom and immediately fell asleep on Anvil's bottom bunk. The combination of griffon food, mental exhaustion from trying not to screw anything up, and long playtime exhausted him far more than any combat training before.

However, he still woke up when the door clicked open, letting a returning Anvil in.

"How was it?" Astray asked, pushing himself up on his elbows after carefully guiding snoring Bubbles down from him.

Anvil just shrugged.

"Too many timetables to keep track of, but we have everything ready for two weeks ahead. How about your afternoon off? I was expecting you two to still be outside."

"We had a crazy lunch and played in some park. I have no doubts she'll tell you everything later. Anyway," Astray scratched his head, "umm... thank you."

"For?"

"For telling her how to make the first move. I would have never done anything myself."

"Yeah, I know," said Anvil, turning away and taking her clothes off.

"Should we clear out?"

"No reason," she waved it off and nodded to Bubbles' bed, "I'll just stretch my back on hers."

With no more words, Anvil lay down on the free bottom bunk. Astray felt the minotaur wanted to say something, but she must have decided against it, instead just lying there, eyes closed. She wasn't sleeping, though. After so much time in one room, Astray knew the difference between her sleeping and just... thinking. In the end, he chalked her silence up to her being worried about Astray doing something to make Bubbles uncomfortable.

How wrong he was...


	24. Mistakes: Assignment

Next morning, an Order recruit watched the three finish their lap on Cross' training course before approaching and saluting to the group.

"What's going on?" asked Anvil, saluting back.

"Sir Cromach asks for your immediate presence in his office. Top priority."

"We'll be right there."

Training session cut short, the trio arrived in the griffon's office soon after. Cromach pacing from side to side behind his desk didn't fill them with optimism.

"When was the last time you saw Connie?" he asked.

"When she killed us," answered Anvil.

"Actually," Astray coughed, "The night before yesterday."

"Oh?" Cromach raised an eyebrow.

"I couldn't sleep so I went out for a glass of water and found her completely drunk on the second floor balcony. She seemed calm, but said something about fixing her mistakes."

The griffon closed his eyes and let out a loud sigh.

"I was hoping the letter was a mistake," he pointed to an open envelope on his desk right next to a newspaper, "I got a message few hours ago that said Connie's order badge and her belongings including... nevermind were found unattended on the last train able to get to upper Canterlot."

"What do you mean by 'able to get to Canterlot', sir?" Anvil tilted her head.

"Is it about the mountain crumbling thing?" asked Bubbles.

"Indeed," Cromach nodded.

"EHM," Anvil coughed loudly, "What did I miss that everyone else knows?"

Cromach shoved the newspaper to her across the desk. She picked it up and skimmed through the main article. The griffon gave her the short version.

"The train track between lower and upper Canterlot has been demolished by an unexplained avalanche. The last train that got to the upper city had a single window broken. Connie's things were found in the empty coupe along with small amount of blood. According to the private report Celestia's agent sent me the window had been broken from the inside as if something forcefully pulled whoever was in the coupe out. The interrogated passengers said they heard stomping on the train's roof shortly before the avalanche."

"Holy..." Anvil said a minotaur swear that sounded like her crunching gravel.

"Any pointers to who... or what did it?" asked Astray.

"No, but the train roof was dented as if an extremely heavy pony jumped all over the cars."

"Where do we come in, sir?" Anvil tossed the newspaper back on Cromach's desk.

"I think the attacker could have been the undead earthpony whom Connie fought off in the hospital. It is possible Connie was attacked for knowing Black Shield's face and name. Shield is cooperating with an unknown powerful unicorn magician who must be behind her reanimation into a flesh golem like the one we encountered in the sewers, but much stronger. For now I want you to go to Canterlot and ask for more details. I have to stay here since aside from me and Connie there's no one who really does the overall paperwork. Stars know Shadowstep's changelings don't give a damn about it."

Cromach followed the complaint with a clear description of all he could remember about Black Shield and his encounters with her.

"Alright, sir. When are we leaving?"

"Pack anything you deem necessary, then go down to the treasury and the blacksmith. You'll have an official mission budget and real equipment. And one more thing," Cromach's tone turned even more serious, "If this Black Shield knew about Connie leaving the mansion and really is behind the attack, then she might know about you. Be extremely careful in anything you do. If you find any trace of Connie's... death, then report to me immediately. If you find her alive and following some sort of clue, don't try to stop her. Observe her, watch her back, help if necessary, but don't force her into anything. Anvil, you are still in charge of your team. Consider Connie a free Order agent this time."

All three saluted.

"Yes, sir!" they said as one.

The Manehattan-Canterlot train pulled to a stop at the base of the mountain. From distance, the buildings of lower Canterlot formed a half-ring where the mountainside touched the ground. Above them and slightly further clockwise, the white spires of upper Canterlot halfway up the mountain cast shadows in the morning sunlight.

[Attention all passengers! The train to Canterlot terminates in the lower city due to track problems up on the mountain. If you wish to continue to the upper city you need to use the wagon route leading up the other side of the mountain.]

The announcing mare's voice coming from the speakers in the coupe went quiet.

"Alright, here it goes," Anvil grabbed her belongings from the floor and started putting everything on and fastening it properly, "Our first real mission as a team. I know we're here only to get some information, but be ready for anything."

Bubbles nodded and Astray saluted, both immediately checking their baggage and fastening everything where it should be.

The seriousness of the situation was underlined by Anvil wearing real clothes for once rather than her usual skimpy attire. A chainmail had been made for her during her stay at the mansion, although she'd never worn it before today. The steel rings of the shirt fitted snugly around her endowed and also well-built chest, abs, and broad shoulders. Underneath, she wore one more shirt, although just a plain, white cloth one with no buttons so that the hair of her coat didn't get caught between links of the armor. Her bulging arms were bare aside from steel gauntlets ending high up her forearms. Astray had at first thought that she would wear her usual loincloth or tight pants even in the city like before, but Anvil had recieved perfectly fitting chain leggings along with a set of high boots and armored leather skirt.

Her equipment was what made everyone turn their heards and their jaws drop at the show of how incredulously strong the minotaur truly was. Over one shoulder, she had a bandolier with all necessary documents, some food, gold, Order insignia, spare rolled-up clothing, and several small necessities. Over the other, though, she had slung a harness for her two-handed warmace which was held by studs so that she could easily just rip it from her back in need. Around her waist hung a sheath with a plain bastard sword, a holster with a griffon pistol for the use of which Anvil had an uncanny talent despite almost no training, and a pouch with spare ammo. In short, her whole equipment weight totalled to that of three ponies, and yet she moved as if it wasn't burdening her whatsoever.

Astray recalled that during the outfitting session Anvil had said that nothing would make her wear a helmet, ever.

The satyr, on the other hand, travelled fairly lightly. Aside from his paladin gauntlets, greaves, and boots, he'd opted for a chain mail like Anvil, but only cloth pants. He wore a backpack containing similar stuff to Anvil's - food, money, and the common daily things. In addition, he packed stuff Anvil had no space for - flashlights, protective bandanas, weapon cleaning supplies, and quick-burst lighters. Weapons-wise, he hadn't really wanted to take any, but he knew his gauntlets wouldn't be enough so he kept his longsword and a pistol, both hanging on a belt around his waist just like Anvil's.

After the experience with his own helmet, Astray very much agreed with Anvil that he didn't want to wear it as long as it wasn't a certain life or death situation.

Bubbles was carrying the least stuff. Her skin was the best armor ever considering the weight to protection ratio. Her teeth would outshine any blade a normal craftspony could forge, and her claws were a secondary weapon much, as they say, closer to hoof. However, she wore a helmet with triangles over ears which had a sliding part with muffs she could quickly shove to protect herself from loud noises. Around her neck, after last experience, hung the protective bandanna ready to be pulled over her muzzle because of a high possibility to encounter some rotting undead. Aside from that, she only wore a pair of saddlebags with the same contents as that of the others, but also a ball and a chew toy in case of some spare time.

And a book for Anvil for the same reason. Oh, and something called 'rum' which smelled sharp and all herb-y and spicy. Astray had said she wasn't allowed to drink it unless told to.

Thanks to all that, it made perfect sense for every pony who noticed the trio leaving the train to stop doing what they'd been doing and openly stare at least for a minute. The good part was that a wide path cleared for them as soon as Anvil took her first few steps on the platform.

"So, where do we start, boss?" asked Astray with a smirk as they left the train station.

"By shoving you into this mailbox if you call me boss again," Anvil retorted with absolute calm, "But since sir Cromach got that report about Contradiction likely being involved, I think the stuff she brought with her should be in the hooves of the Royal Guards. It might hold a clue to what she was trying to do in Canterlot. So, the nearest guardhouse would be a good place to start. They'll tell us who is responsible for this investigation."

Several questions answered by local ponies later, the three entered a pristine building with two small alicorn statues, one of princess Celestia and one of her sister, by each side of a wide entrance from which armored ponies walked out, giving them surprised stares. Across the hall from entrance to main lower Canterlot guardhouse there was a desk with a brown pegasus wearing a blue police uniform. The writing on a grey metal plaque above read: Information.

The walking armory currently by the name Anvil approached the guardspony cautiously watching her. The raised desk provided no help against the minotaur's towering form, and the pony had to crane his neck when Anvil got closer.

"I'd like to know everything about the problem with the train tracks and a missing pony by the name Contradiction."

The information pony shifted in his chair.

"Miss, we don't just give such information to anypony. Unless you have some official recommendation then all I can tell you is that an investigation is currently underway and any pertinent results will be released to public when it is concluded."

"Astray," Anvil nodded to the satyr who took his bag off, opened a small pocket on the front, and gave the information pony a silver badge with a sun rising over the horizon.

The pegasus dragged a binder from a drawer, skimmed through it while looking at the badge, got nearly to the end, and then nodded, shoving the badge back to Astray.

"Order of the Silver Sun, right. Ask commander Starstruck in office fourteen," he pointed to the left down the hallway, "Right door just behind the corner. Light purple unicorn, yellow mane. He's in charge of the digging operation."

"Digging?" asked Anvil.

"Through the avalanche," the pegasus nodded, "He's the pony you want to talk to."

"Thank you for your assistance," Astray hid his badge back into his backpack, and followed Anvil to Starstruck's office.

The unicorn nearly fell from his chair after answering the knocking and calling out to the visitors to come inside. When he gathered himself, and resigned himself to anything that was coming because Anvil, Astray, and Bubbles were between him and his suit of armor resting on a rack by the door, he nodded to the single visitor chair in front of his desk.

"What brings you here?" he asked, still visibly nervous.

"We're from the Order of the Silver Sun in Manehattan. Our boss recieved a report about the train incident and sent us here to investigate a disappearance of one of our fr- colleagues."

Astray immediately presented his Order badge again. After yet another careful examination, the item was returned and Starstruck shuffled some papers on the side of his desk, pulling out a single document. Then he stood up, rummaged through bunch of drawers covering the entire wall behind him, and recovered a grey, significantly thicker, binder.

"Alright," he muttered while turning the pages, "It states that ambassador Cromach of the Silver Sun has already been informed about the situation. I assume he is your boss, right?"

"Exactly," Anvil nodded, "But he sent us to investigate as Silver Sun representatives."

"I see. Well, the only ongoing operation is the cleanup of the avalanche. The train has already been checked and is currently in upper Canterlot train depot where it is awaiting repairs which can't happen until the investigation is over."

"Where are Contradiction's things? Sir Cromach said they were left on the train."

"They are up in the castle. Considering your Order is a semi-government agency, all official belongings that might lead to revealing secret information must be held in a secure vault until recovery by an official agent."

"Umm," Bubbles poked Astray and whispered, "What does that mean?"

"That someone could steal our badges and pretend they're us to get classified info," Astray answered.

"Oooooh."

"Exactly," Starstruck nodded, "So, you'll have to ask in the castle for your colleague's belongings. I have a copy of the latest results here, though. As far as the train goes, it seems that only one window has been broken, and that happened several minutes before the train reached the place where the avalanche occured. We found shards of glass further down the track which fit the train window. However, we also found some splinters of wood and a piece of iron frame."

"Sir Cromach assumes Contradiction was pulled out of the coupe by something on the roof of the train."

Starstruck nodded.

"Correct. The thing is that whoever or whatever pulled her out was extremely strong to drag her out _along_ with a piece of the window she'd been holding onto."

Astray and Anvil exchanged glances. Starstruck continued, reading his documents:

"The second clue we found were dents and some broken vent covers on the train roof. Somepony, and I am sure it was a big pony, jumped across the train cars. The dents led from the car in which Contradiction was seated towards the end of the train. Two things were strange about the whole thing. The big dents were filled with traces of decomposing necrotic tissue, and in several places there was a cleanly pierced hole through the roof behind those."

"The tail," Anvil scowled, "An undead flesh golem with a stabby whip tail."

"I take it you have an idea who is involved, hmm?" Starstruck raised an eyebrow.

Anvil recapped what had happened at the hospital, and mentioned Cromach's brief explanation of the events at the Goldhorn mansion.

"-and he said her name was Black Shield."

Starstruck's ear twitched.

"Black Shield... Black Shield... name rings a bell," a spark shot out of his horn, "Ah hah!" he jumped up and explored his drawers again, eventually pulling out a different binder, one with red 'CLOSED' stamped over it, "Black Shield, a Royal Guard gone missing after being sent to investigate a break-in into Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns. Supposedly she has not reported to the school after the call for assistance. The case was closed due to lack of clues of any sort. Are you saying she is dead now, or undead?"

"Sir Cromach thinks a powerful wizard killed her and reanimated her as a golem of some sort. She and the wizard stole something from the Goldhorn mansion. We weren't told what exactly."

"I remember that case as well. We don't get too many big things like that one here often. Two culprits, one definitely a unicorn necromancer, attacked some important party of nobility. I suppose the other one would be your Black Shield then," Starstruck shook his head, "I'd like to help you, but aside from reporting to those upstairs that those cases are connected with Black Shield's disappearance I can't do much. You can go check up on the avalanche investigation party if you want. I'll write you an official letter that'll make them cooperate. That, or I guess you can get your Order member's belongings from the castle. Maybe check the train for something we might have missed?"

"I'll think about that," Anvil gave Starstruck a quick bow, "Can you write that official letter in the meantime?"

"Of course. Wait for me outside, please," the police pony walked over to a side table with a prepared typewriter.

Outside the office, Anvil called for a strategy huddle. Well, not literally.

"I think we should split up," she said, "I'll go check the avalanche with Bubbles. She has crazy senses and might spot something. I'll be there just in case someone refuses to cooperate. That, and I used to be a tracker up north before leaving. I know what to look for on the ground. I hope I haven't gone completely soft with you little ponies in your safe cities."

"I can come with you, or...?" Astray gave her a puzzled look.

"No reason to waste time, I think. I doubt you can bring anything I or Bubbles don't already have concerning the wilderness. You could check the train and get Contradiction's things from the castle. You're not bad at the diplomatic talk, and I think you'll need it."

"Oh, expecting trouble at the castle?"

"No, we are clearly going against a powerful wizard. I want you to use that kind-hearted naive idiot face of yours to ask around the School for Gifted Unicorns. Even I heard about that place and it's supposed to host some of the best magicians in Equestria. Black Shield disappeared on the way to the school, someone might have snagged her and covered tracks. If not, we're going to need magical help anyway. Maybe ask a janitor or somepony if he didn't see her, anyone who isn't a wizard."

"I probably should be offended but I'll take it as a compliment that you believe I can do it," Astray chuckled.

Anvil put her hands on his shoulders and looked down at him with a serious expression.

"If anything goes wrong, run like blazes. I'd hate to have to kill your undead ass."

Astray couldn't help the wide grin growing on his face.

"Don't worry, I doubt I'd have much value as a zombie."

"I'm serious! On the first suspicious move, punch the closest asshole you see and run," she pointed her finger at his chest.

"Alright, alright. Calm down, nothing in the world can stop me from ogling _that_ ," and in turn he pointed his finger at her vastly broader and rounder upper body.

"Good, though I know you prefer something a little lower."

Astray's waist suddenly felt heavy and incredibly hot. He looked down on Bubbles hugging him with a worried look.

"Be careful..."

"Come on, we're making this too over the top. No one is going to attack me in a building full of ponies in the middle of the day. You're the ones in danger in case more rocks decide to drop out of nowhere. So, where and when do we meet afterwards?"

The office door opened behind them, revealing Starstruck with a piece of paper he offered Anvil.

"Show this to the rescue party. There's a bunch of ponies at the base of the mountain checking the stretch of land the avalanche destroyed. There are volunteers, Royal Guards, and I think even a wizard from the School of Gifted Unicorns helping. They usually don't work with the Guard, but they know some serious complex spells the Guard doesn't teach."

"Who do we ask for?"

"Either sargeant Pavement Pounder, a big dark blue earthpony, or the wizard guy they sent from the top... Secret Seeker was his name."

"Will do," Anvil nodded.

"Anything else I can help you with?"

"If we remember something we'll be back."

"Good luck then. I'll report the Black Shield thing as soon as possible," Starstruck disappeared back into his office and closed the door.

"So," Anvil patted Astray's shoulder, "How about we meet up at the entrance to the lower Canterlot train station at six? We have to circle around the mountain to find the search party and you have to go up and down. We can look for a place to sleep afterwards. We passed at least four taverns on the way here."

"Understood," Astray saluted.

It took Bubbles and Anvil close to two hours to circle around Canterlot mountain and reach the investigation site. The base of the mountain was filled with crumbled rocks and dirt, some crooked trees only growing in high places, making the whole area look like it was washed down from the top. Anvil had good eyes, and something felt off about the place.

"Strange," she muttered to herself which didn't go past Bubbles' ears.

"What is? The ponies?"

The halfling meant a group of about thirty ponies walking between the rocks, only few of them wearing Royal Guard suits of armor and the others likely being the diggers and helping hooves.

"No," Anvil shook her head and looked up at the mountain again, shielding her eyes from the bright blue sky, "We get avalanches all the time up north, although snow ones. They start as small rocks letting loose and rolling around in snow until they are giant balls. These rocks look weird, big. As if a chunk of the mountain simply collapsed. The thing is that if mount Canterlot was crumbling somepony would have noticed already. The Canterlot wizards must be checking their home for any irregularities."

"Excellent observation," a unicorn wearing a brown robe commented, stepping carefully over the bigger of the rocks. He had a rusty red mane similar to Bubbles' coat. From what Anvil could see not covered by the robe his coat was dark purple, "However, may I ask what brings you here? This isn't exactly an area open to public."

Reaching down to Bubbles' bag, Anvil took out Starstruck's letter and presented it to the unicorn. His eyes narrowed as he read it.

"I... see. Order of the Silver Sun," he said slowly, then smiled and levitated the letter back to Anvil, "My name is Secret Seeker, and I'll be happy to answer all your questions. Plus, if you're willing to help you can check the part of the avalanche which hit the forest. We haven't gotten there yet. Some preliminary examination would not be wasted."

Anvil nodded.

"My name is Anvil. I used to be a tracker up north, and Bubbles here has really good sense of smell. Any idea what we should be looking for, though?"

Secret Seeker shrugged.

"Anything unusual that might be related to the reason why a landslide of this magnitude would happen. The royal wizards monitor the mountain's structure keenly, and saw nothing like this coming. A sabotage, maybe? The damage to the mountain itself makes no sense either, so look for remains of explosives and so forth. Anything out of place. Plus, a pony supposedly went missing from the last train able to get up the tracks around the time of the event, so there's that as well. Oh, I almost forgot. Some witnesess from lower Canterlot said they saw flashes up on the tracks right before the collapse. That's why the explosives theory."

"I see. Thank you for your assistance, mister Seeker," Anvil nodded, "We'll be sure to tell you if we find anything."

Secret Seeker nodded and strode away towards an earthpony currently talking to two diggers with shovels who according to Starstruck's description had to be Pavement Pounder. On the way, his horn started to shimmer and kept sending pulses of light all over the ground near him.

Anvil looked at the completely shaved track of mountainside and shook her head. The area was wide open into grasslands of Equestria on all sides but the one away from their location where a forest stopped the falling rocks like a dam.

"This place is huge," she muttered, "and, to be honest, I am better at spotting tracks than sorting through this mess. I think it is up to you this time."

"I'll sniff like I've never sniffed before!" Bubbles performed the best salute she could and started taking deep breaths. Anvil just stood and watched her.

Suddenly, Bubbles' ear twitched and her nostrils flared. Turning her head around to get the right direction, the mare opened her eyes not to trip on the ground full of obstacles, but followed only the lead of her nose. The crunching of rocks and grass underneath Anvil's boots was distracting, but Bubbles focused harder and harder on the unpleasant scent of iron and faint trace of familiar sweat until...

"Ow!" she recoiled and rubbed her muzzle.

...she bumped into a rock bigger than Anvil half-buried in the ground. Circling it around, she sniffed it from all sides.

"I smell blood and miss Connie's sweat, I think. She always smells weird, it makes me hot."

"She always smells like someone with her hoof up her crotch most of the time who doesn't know what a shower- ooooh, I see," Anvil stopped her muttering, looked at the huge rock, and bit her lip, "Do you think this boulder crushed her?"

Bubbles shook her head vigorously.

"I don't smell much blood, and no dead body. I'll never forget how bleh that is," Bubbles stuck her tongue out and spat on the ground.

"So she was up there. Blood and sweat? Maybe this just hit her or she was wounded and propped herself on this. Are you getting anything else?"

"I smell only this."

"Have a run around the dig site and see if you can sniff anything out," Anvil lay on the ground as if getting ready for pushups, "This is more of my thing."

"Is it time for more training?" Bubbles hesitated.

"I'm looking at the grass, dummy. Go sniff around as I said."

"On it!" Bubbles rushed off.

This far away from the other digging or chatting ponies, Anvil could listen and think. She ruled out that Contradiction had been around. There were absolutely no tracks, or if they had been they were now ruined by the rockslide. Other than that, in the ten minutes of Bubbles being absent, she found absolutely nothing.

The mare returned with a dejected expression.

"Nothing, I take it," the minotaur frowned.

"No. I talked to mister Seeker again, though, and he told me he is in charge of magical recon-nose-sense?"

"Reconnaissance," Anvil corrected her, "That means information gathering."

"Yeah, that. He even showed me his cutie mark. It's a question mark, all glowy and stuff."

"That's... nice and all," Anvil hated to disappoint the enthusiastic mare, but this really wasn't what they needed, "but how does that help us find something Contradiction-related?"

"I'm not sure, but I think he doesn't like me. He smelled worried, and I didn't even grin at him."

"I'm certain he's just nervous from having a minotaur and a half-demon running around. Plus a mountain can drop on him at any point for no reason. It would take nerves of steel ot ignore that. Oh well, I'm not really one to go walking around for hours with a shovel, and I doubt we can make this digging progress any faster. Maybe we should go back and wait for Astray. See if he found something better than we did."

"We should tell mister Seeker about this rock as well."

"Definitely. Maybe his magic will show-"

Anvil stomped to get the dirt off of her boots with her hand propped against the boulder for stability. The ground cracked. She looked at her legs, and at dirt starting to trickle into some sort of a hole.

Growing hole.

"Oh sh- aaaaah!"

"Aaaaaaaaaaa- oof!"

Darkness, feeling of stomach attempting to leave via ears, pain in her back as Anvil hit something hard, then pain in her tight abs as something not so heavy and hard hit her.

"Arrrgh," she groaned, and the burden left her belly.

"I landed on something soft," Bubbles chirped in the near darkness.

"That... was me..." huffed Anvil, rolling over and standing up on what felt like chiseled stone.

The fall couldn't have been long, and as Anvil looked upwards and her vision cleared, she saw a square of clear sky at just over twice her height.

"Hey, here's the blood!" she heard Bubbles exclaim amidst the scritching and clopping of her claws and hooves on hard stone surface.

Unfortunately, the light coming from the improvised skylight barely brightened the complete darkness, and while Bubbles was adapting and seeing better with each second, Anvil was in a grey and black world of waving her hands and taking careful steps.

"I can't see anything."

"Mpfh mmt heew," said Bubbles, clearly with something in her mouth.

"Hey!" Anvil heard a cautious voice from above, "I heard a scream. What's going on?"

She looked up at a unicorn head outlined against the sky. The pulsating horn belonged to none other than Secret Seeker.

"The ground gave out under my legs and we dropped in here," the minotaur called out loudly, immediately followed by a shoving of metal as Bubbles slid the mufflers on her ears.

"I hear you loud and clear. Stay there! I'll get someone with a ladder," Seeker's head disappeared, leaving Anvil in complete silence.

Long silence.

"Umm, should't he be calling somepony? I only heard him walk away," Bubbles commented.

"Yeah, considering our situation he could have at least been running..." Anvil's voice drifted off.

"The police pony said mister Seeker was a bigwig from the wizard school. Why didn't he just teleport us out, or levitated us or something? Is it because you are carrying all those weapons and armor?"

"Being a high-tier mage doesn't make you adept at handling a crisis. Most ponies just stop thinking and run around like chickens with their heads cut-"

A loud creak from behind was all the warning Anvil needed to grab Bubbles standing next to her by her mane with one hand and toss her forward with a surprised yelp. The minotaur herself simply lunged ahead in hope that the empty space she had blindly explored before was open and wide.

Rumbling, chaos, dust, coughing, complete darkness.

"Dammit!" Anvil cursed, coughing and gathering herself from the floor again.

All of a sudden, bright light blinded her completely.

"Oops, sorry," Bubbles shone the flashlight away from Anvil's face, "I never know which end is the blinding pointer thing and which one is the light."

"Damn, you're smarter than I am," Anvil dove into her bandalier and pulled out the thin Order spotlight along with the bandanna which she promptly put over her muzzle to deflect all the raised dust, "Much better."

Behind her was a mass of rubble and soil propped by the enormous boulder the top of which must have been what they had been examining on the surface. It must have gotten loose and tipped over, taking the ceiling of whatever... tunnel they were in now with it. Unfortunately, there was no way out of the crumbled corridor other than to follow it.

"Bubbly, cover your ears."

*Click, click!*

"HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEY! WE'RE DOWN HERE! CAN ANYPONY HEAR US?"

Anvili repeated the scream as loud as she could several times, only to be answered with absolute silence. Finally giving up, she tapped on Bubbles' helmet.

"They can't hear us, I think," the mare added her helpful analysis of the situation.

"Can't... or maybe don't want to," Anvil mumbled, suddenly filled with suspicion.

"What do you mean?"

"This Black Shield pony disappeared investigating a crime in the wizard school. Evidence points to her being on the train with Contradiction. Sir Cromach said she was an undead serving a powerful wizard. The most powerful wizards in Canterlot teach at the school where they can also do research. All that, and Starstruck said it wasn't usual for a member of the wizards school to work with the Royal Guards. That, and you yourself said Secret Seeker was nervous around you."

"You think he tried to collapse the tunnel on us?" Bubbles gasped, and immediately started coughing from all the dust slowly settling around.

"Actually, I wasn't," Anvil hummed to herself, "but now that you mentioned it... it could be. It could also be a complete coincidence," she shone her flashlight on the celing of the tunnel where wooden beams propped what looked like solid stone. The boulder from the mountain must have crashed through and they had fallen through the edge of the main hole, "I just thought that more wizards must know about this Black Shield because it can't be easy to hide a monster like her and a powerful unicorn able to control her."

"Wait, isn't Astray going to the wizard school place?" asked Bubbles, following it by a whimper.

"Yeah, but calm down. As he himself said - there's no way anypony would try to do anything to him in a building full of ponies."

Too bad she knew full well she sounded like trying to persuade herself.

"Mhm."

"Anyway, ehm, let's find our way from here. If my craaaazy suspicion is wrong, which it must be, we can always come back here to a hole dug for us. If not, we'll have to find a way out ourselves," she tried to sound as sure of herself as possible not to worry the little mare, "Let's go. I wonder where this tunnel leads."

"Another sewer, or maybe a cellar?"

Anvil shrugged, walking forwards with her flashlight in her hand and the other on the handle of her sheathed sword.

"Maybe. No point in just guessing, though."

The silence was penetrated only by their steps echoing in the seemingly endless tunnel.

"Wanna play a game?" she asked uncharacteristically quiet Bubbles after a while. Anvil was sure the demonette was worrying sick about Astray and decided to lighten the mood.

"Huh? Fetch?"

"No, something we can do while walking. How about word hoofball?"

"What's that? You write a word in the dust and I kick it?"

"No, dummy. I say a word, and you have to say one beginning with the same letter mine ended with. Then it's my turn and so on. You can use each word only once."

"Sounds fun. I'll prove that I listened to you reading your big word history books," Bubbles sounded much more cheerful, "What's the word?"

Anvil grinned to herself.

"Morale."

"That ends with L, right?"

"E"

"Damn it!" Bubbles clicked her tongue, "Got it - ammo!"

"That starts with A, not E."

"Really?"

Anvil couldn't help smiling. The little devil had pretty much no education. She could read and count if she tried, but definitely wasn't used to it too much. Oh well, at least she was doing her best.

"Element."

"Great job, Bubbly," Anvil patted Bubbles' head, "Tradition."

"Nose," was the quickfire answer.

"Empathy."

"Teacup."

"Nope, mine ends with Y."

"Damn it!"

Meh, better than nervously shaking in her boots anyway.


	25. Mistakes: Direct Measures

Astray's trip was nothing but boring. His visit to the castle was brief and uneventful, because all he needed to get Contradiction's belongings was his own badge. He took a brief break after walking all the way up half the mountain to examine the recovered saddlebags for anything to point him in a direction of Connie's visit to the royal city. Unfortunately, there were no clues. Just like he, Anvil, and Bubbles, she just packed some personal stuff, food, gold, Order insignia, and... well, one item that made Astray blush.

So, pretty much nothing.

Half an hour later, he was done with the exploration of the damaged train as well. Just like he'd heard already - dents, broken window, some blood, and that was about it. His training until now had consisted of fighting, not investigating things and as such he was reliant only on his common sense. Sadly, that left him with only one option - talk to somepony at Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns.

Just like that, Astray found himself at the reception of the reknowned school based in the lobby.

The visitor's lobby was a wide open square area with another doorway on the other side leading to some sort of a courtyard filled with ponies. In the right far corner, a staircase lead somewhere Astray couldn't see, and halfway across the room the left wall turned into a glass pane with a bored elderly unicorn stallion sitting behind it. He gave Astray a curious look up and down as the satyr approached.

"Can I help you, young, ehm, stallion?"

Astray gave him a short courteous bow. No matter how janitor-like the unicorn looked, the school was an esteemed institution and all its personnel deserved respect. He showed the receptionist his badge, and weighed his options. A new idea came to mind, summoned by the chat with Starstruck.

"I am here to ask some details about a break-in case around a month ago."

"Ooooh, this," the unicorn nodded, "As far as I know, the Royal Guard already questioned everypony supposedly involved and checked the workshop that had been broken into."

Astray smiled internally.

"I would like to know who called the guards."

The receptionist hummed to himself, his horn shimmered with yellow glow, and a thick book flew up from underneath his desk. He skimmed through the entries, the amount of which made Astray raise an eyebrow. A thin book like that really shouldn't contain what looked like thousands upon thousands pages. The satyr immediately expected some sort of space-bending magic.

"Heeere it is," he stopped flipping the pages, "The entire event was recorded and reported by mister Arcane Hex. Unfortunately for you, according to this there was... huh. Strange."

"What is?"

The receptionist shook his head.

"I must be misremembering things, but this book and all its mirrors are impossible to tamper with. It reads here that the receptionist on duty the day of the event noted the entry of a Royal Guard by the name Black Shield. I could swear nopony came to investigate until the next day."

"Can I talk to this Arcane Hex?"

"Of course. Should I call him here?"

"Please do. Oh, and can you direct me to a wizard who specializes in magic that can find ponies?"

The unicorn levitated a pen and scribbled something on a slip of paper which disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"Scrying and divination? That would be old Eagle Eye, but I think he's out of Canterlot right now. You know what? Arcane Hex is a seventh level wizard. He can use pretty much the best magic known to ponykind. Unless you need something incredibly specific and obscure, like piercing magic resistance or protective spells, from the scrying then his knowledge should be enough. If it's not then Eagle Eye will be back," he checks his multipurpose book again, "this Sunday."

"Thank you very much," Astray smiled at the elderly pony.

"No problem."

A glowing green circle appeared on the white tiled floor, burst with bright emerald light, and when it faded a unicorn was standing there. Astray gave him an only slightly started look. The unicorn looked somewhere in his sixties, his dark blue coat deeply contrasted with his silvery grey mane and tail, and he had a short beard of the same colour. All the satyr could catch from his cutie mark before the unicorn strode straight towards him was that it was kind of smokey mess with a letter.

"You called, Flash Freeze?" the unicorn gave the receptionist a quick nod.

"Yes, Hex. This young lad is here to ask about the break-in and is in need of some scrying magic. He belongs to some out of Canterlot organization."

"Order of the Silver Sun, sir," Astray saluted.

"Oooh, serving under ambassador Cromach?" Arcane Hex bowed and glanced Flash Freeze's way, "I'll sort this out. Thank you for informing me."

"Don't bore him to death with the theory of spells."

"I'll try to contain my enthusiasm," Hex chuckled, turning to Astray, "Come, mister satyr-"

"Astray."

"-mister Astray. I think we should discuss this in private."

"Of coooooooo-"

In a flash of light, Astray's surroundings changed. Feeling a little queezy, Astray's next steps fell on a dark green carpet. In an attempt to steady himself, he checked this new place and his brain failed when faced with the mess. It looked like he was in a suite which had to be an unholy spawn of a laboratory, living quarters, and a workshop. The chaos of glassware, workbenches, tables with drawers sticking out of them, shelves full of books, microscopes, and somewhere deep in there a buried bed made the place indescribable. In short, it needed either a disaster relief after what had to be an explosion, or an extremely patient maid.

Next to him, Arcane Hex laughed at his shocked expression.

"I apologize. I was in the middle of an experiment and wasn't expecting company."

"Experiment in what exactly...?" slipped out of Astray before he could control himself.

"I am not sure myself, but that is what experiments are for, isn't it?" Hex's horn flashed, and a tea kettle appeared in mid air, "Drink?"

Astray looked out of the nearest window. He probably still had enough time to stay here and get back to lower Canterlot before dark. No reason not to appear as friendly as possible.

"Thank you very much," he looked around for something even remotely resembling a chair, "Is there anywhere to sit down?"

All around him, books flew into the air and formed stacks by the room's walls, revealing a pair of chairs by a table. When the two settled down with the tea, Arcane Hex started the conversation:

"Alright, is anything wrong with emissary Cromach?"

"What?" Astray tilted his head, "Why would it be?"

"You are from the Silver Sun, and my only association with you was my offer to help your boss examine his condition. When I read the note I thought asking about an old Royal Guard case was a facade for helping sir Cromach. His power is not something to be discussed in public."

"No, mister Hex," Astray shook his head, "I'm here really about the break-in. I originally came here to ask for some magical assistance, but the unicorn downstairs said something was wrong with the strange record book."

"Oh? That thing is supposed to be absolutely true to reality."

"Mister Flash Freeze, was it? He said you called the Royal Guard about the crime."

"Exactly, and nopony arrived until the day after," he sighs, evidently tired of the repeated response, "I saw a shadow climb over the outer wall and enter the locked workshop in the gardens. Mundane events like that aren't exactly my forte, so I didn't go check it myself. All the Royal Guards found was the workshop equipment strewn around."

"Well, the record book said somepony came shortly after the event was reported. A Royal Guard called Black Shield who hasn't been seen since then. The thing is that neither you nor mister Freeze seem to remember it. The big problem is that a pony presenting herself as Black Shield attacked sir Cromach in the Canterlot Royal Hospital. Sir Cromach said she was an undead at the time. We believe a pony serving with us by the name Contradiction was attacked shortly before the Canterlot mountain avalanche by said Black Shield."

Arcane Hex paled.

"Contradiction? The unicorn lady with the suppression syndrome, black and white, eyes of different colour? Got seriously drunk during the ceremony where I met ambassador Cromach last time?"

Yeah, that would fit. Astray nodded.

"I don't know anything about the last part, but that's her."

"That is extremely unsettling. However, what is even worse is that I clearly remember reading the record book and nothing like Black Shield's visit being there. If the Royal Guards and even a wizard like Flash Freeze believe the same thing then that means our memory might have been tampered with, or something of that sort. That is no easy feat."

"Sir Cromach believes Black Shield is now an undead under the control of some powerful magician."

"I see. And you think you can find the best of the best here in the school, am I correct? Plus, all the events involving this Black Shield happened in Canterlot."

"Ummm, I thought I could do that before I saw the size of this place, yes," Astray chuckled.

Hex laughed openly.

"I understand your intentions, but you were mistaken. I could vouch for most of the faculty and the researchers here with my reputation. That, and there is absolutely no _rule_ that powerful magicians have to gather here. The fact that we were afflicted by some strange event gives your theory certain weight, though," Arcane Hex finished his tea, "I will certainly discuss this with others later. Do you have any further questions?"

"I am grasping for any scraps of information, to be honest. If you could remember anything useful...? Or maybe some spell?"

Arcane Hex rubbed his muzzle, closing his eyes.

"Hah!" he exclaimed after a while, "Was this Black Shield an earthpony?"

"Yes."

"I believe it was her who, as they say, 'crashed the party' where I met sir Cromach and his associates. She indeed was with a magician, a powerful necromancer. He managed to prepare a magical sigil which temporarily paralyzed everypony inside the mansion including the royal sisters and myself. Before fleeing from the ambassador and miss Contradiction who broke the spell for some reason, he summoned a horde of undead and specters to cause panic. I had to use my magic to banish them when the paralysis spell faded."

"Yes, sir Cromach mentioned that incident. He does believe the pony there was Black Shield and the unicorn was her master."

"Ah," Hex's ears drooped, "Then I am afraid I have nothing pertinent to add."

"Well," Astray finished his cup, "mister Frost said something about scrying magic."

Shaking his head, Arcane Hex sighed:

"I am not a divination expert, but even if I was I would require something connected to the target. A part of their body, a treasured belonging, or an item of such sort. I would be extremely surprised if you had anything like that."

"Actually, I wanted to ask if you could find Contradiction like that."

"Is she missing? Same rule applies then," Hex shrugged.

Astray winked at him.

"I have her saddlebag here with me. There's her money, toothbrush, some clothes..."

"Oh? Give it to me," he levitated the bag from Astray's grasp. The satyr mentally prepared himself for the worst, "I can sense some personal aura from many things here, but there's a much stronger source. Wheeere can it be?" Hex froze, "I see," just as Astray expected, the griffon dildo came flying out, accompanied by Hex's smug expression, "Heh, youngsters," he just added, putting the replica on the table.

Astray had to recuperate from the lack of surprise or shock on Hex's side. He did it masterfully, though.

"Is that... is that enough?"

Chuckling, Arcane Hex drew some invisible patterns in the air with his foreleg.

"Something _this_ personal should work just fine," he paused, "Actually... I can do better than tell you her approximate location. I have been working on a variation of a translocation spell which might transport you into her vicinity."

"How close?"

"A circle of a thirty-pony radius, give or take."

"Radius? Does that mean I can end up inside a wall? I'd like to avoid that if possible."

"No no no no no," Hex shook his head so quick his beard flopped behind, "There are many safeguards against lethal cases. The two big issues are that the spell is untested, as I am not allowed to use a theoretically lethal magic on sentient beings without previous peer review, and the closely related second problem is that of it requiring a significant amount of energy to work."

Astray just gave him a blank stare, and Hex continued:

"Said amount of energy needs a special type of magic to supply it, a... morally questionable magic."

"Look, mister Hex," Astray raised his hand, "I have no clue what you're talking about, but if it helps find Connie I swear I won't tell a living soul what happened here."

"Aaah, excellent, a voluntary test subject," Hex gave him a wide smile, "Alright, hold this and focus on everything you know and feel about the target you are attempting to find," he levitated the silicone toy to Astray's hand. The satyr felt suddenly extremely uncomfortable, "Don't be shy. Real or fake, mares will be mares, young satyr."

Astray gripped it tightly, and took a deep breath.

He remembered the hate. Every insult, every derogatory comment Connie had thrown his way. Deep down, though, especially after their last drunk chat, he knew she had only been trying to do too much on her own just like now. She had been worried, terrified of the future just like he was. None of them had a promise of tomorrow, considering what they were training for all this time. With that, he finally understood Bubbles' point of view on the entire situation.

After all, when thinking about Connie, Astray still called her that. No Contradiction, no insult, no crazy bitch like Anvil did. Just... Connie. Maybe it was just because he was himself, but he couldn't hate her.

He-

"AH HAH!" Astray heard Arcane Hex's enthusiastic yell, "It's working!"

A swirly white ball was hanging in the air ahead of him. As he reached out to touch it, he was stopped by Hex.

"Not yet, not yet. This just means the spell's targeting is working. Now we need to fuel it," he said, and Astray noticed a very sharp knife with golden, gem-encrusted handle hovering next to Hex's head, "This is going to sting a bit, but it'll heal instantly. Trust me."

"Wha-AAAAAAH!" Astray stared in disbelief at his slashed wrist. Shaking, he huffed as the stinging pain faded along with the deep cut closing on its own. In front of him floated a red blob formed from his blood. His hand was still trembling.

"I know, blood magic is exhausting and, you know, banned, but I believe I must help when needed. You will feel weak for a while, but a good meal will cure the bloodloss in a day or two. Now, good luck in your search."

The blood got sucked into the swirling ball, dying it red, which in turn stretched into a door-like rectangle of Astray's size.

"Thank you," he said, "Do I just walk inside or...?"

"Take a leap of faith, if you wish."

Astray decided that it would be a good idea, and jumped through. A microsecond later, he realized he absolutely despised teleporting.

His stomach agreed.

Cold. Scraping noise. Sharp blades being stabbed into her back.

"Arrgh..."

The scraping rapidly faded into the distance.

In the oppressive darkness, she could hear only her breathing. Her ragged, shaky breaths. Turning her head sent a painful tug through her whole neck. She licked her lips, tasting iron and scraping her tongue.

Dried up blood. Everywhere.

Her frozen limbs stung as the blood flow returned after so long of lying here underground. At least it must have been long.

The fall had been followed by an impact, she remembered, but not on her body, rather her mind.

That's what the blood was, why her head and neck were covered in it, why she felt hammering inside her head, why her horn was completely numb. She had telekinetically protected herself during the fall and hit the ground, but the mental barriersoftened the impact just enough for her body to survive.

"Owwwwww..." she croaked, trying to move her legs. She didn't even know if she had any, there was no light to see in.

Okay, the pain of battered and bruised flesh was enough of a clue.

Contradiction was freezing, hurting both inside and all over, but, as she had to grudgingly appreciate, breathing.

Several minutes of quietly lying on her side and listening for anything, she made a second attempt at standing up. Her shaky legs couldn't bear her weight at first, and she fell over.

"Damn, owww, stars!" Connie cursed in a raspy voice.

How long had she been lying here? Where was here?

What were the good things about the situation? She was alive and her legs weren't broken. There were no sharp things stuck in her back, but every breath hurt as if that was the case. That meant she had fallen on her back and definitely cracked something despite her shield. Tapping her head carefully with her hoof, she was happy to find her horn still being there in one piece despite not feeling it.

"Hmm," she croaked, focusing. A sharp spike of pain reaching from her forehead to her nostrils quickly ended the effort.

Through the haze and headache, she recalled talking to Harmony, or something left by the god inside her. She remembered the tentacles and stopping the unicorn's teleportation... temporarily.

Glowing tentacles.

Sitting down and relaxing, she stopped trying to force her mind to work, and instead let it wander while sending weak waves of telekinesis around to 'touch' her surroundings. Several minutes later, she regained better control of her power, and now it was time for an experiment.

She gathered all she could muster, and focused her powers on a spot on the ground or floor just ahead.

"Heh," she chuckled through a wave of nausea and exhaustion when a small glowing, see-through tendril appeared out of nowhere. Everything worked how she remembered it. Telekinesis was a mental grasp, but now that she did it the grasp was an invisible tentacle. If she forced the issue despite the pain, the tentacle gained a visibly corporeal form.

Connie knew little to nothing about divine effects, but she was determined to find somepony who would help her control her changed power when she got out of here. Cautiously shifting the mental pressure into a grasp focused at her front left fetlock, the glowing tendril wrapped around her foreleg like a glowing bracelet.

Faint, but better than nothing. At least she could see enough not to fall down a hole or something.

Time to find out where she was.

A corridor, some four ponies wide and five ponies high. Alright, a good start.

Moving her foreleg towards the walls, she illuminated, using the word extremely loosely, a barely worked rocky wall. Some steps later, she came towards a vertical wooden support and even in her concussed state realized what must have happened.

Were the mines undeneath mount Canterlot this shallow, though? The falling rocks, even the biggest ones, she had ripped out of the mountain must have broken through some shafts before she dropped down.

She sighed, looking at the chiseled floor. That, or maybe her telekinetic protection held long enough that the rocks smashed through the ground along with her. Maybe even-

There was a dark stain hardly visible in the dim light on the floor leading forward. Blood.

Or maybe she had fallen somewhere and... something or someone dragged her through this tunnel before leaving her for dead. Had she been really that badly wounded? She didn't feel _completely_ broken.

The underground cold. The chilly temperature in here must have slowed her bodily functions down so much she seemed dead. That would also explain the horrible time she had waking up.

Alright, who or what would drag her, and for what reason?

More importantly, should she follow the stain to find out where she had crashed through the surface, or should she get the hay away as fast as possible?

Connie decided to follow the stain based on the grounds that her dragger, if that was a word, would have left her lying where she'd woken up, and kept going in their original direction.

"Damn," she reached to her barrel as discomfort she'd previously attributed to dried blood proved more annoying, "What is this, a piece of paper? Ah!"

She ripped it off along with some pink goop gluing it to her coat and quickly remembered that was the spot where Black Shield had punched her back on the train. Had she pinned this thing to her with -she sniffed the sweetly smelling mess- a chewing gum?

Having recovered enough to make her illuminating tentacle bigger and brighter, reaching all the way up her foreleg to her knee, she narrowed her eyes to read something scribbled on the paper.

 _"Seek Mystery dirty and bloodied stains 2 Hazel st. 3, filly smooshed mess."_

"Looks like an... address? Why would she...? More importantly, how could she be allowed to do that?"

But Cromach had said Black Shield wasn't hostile in the hospital until Connie arrived. Could the bait thing back on the train have been true? Had she really been luring Connie away from the train just so that the passengers wouldn't get hurt?

With the rage of past few weeks subdued, Contradiction was thinking as clearly as her sluggish, shaken head allowed her to. Flesh golems Connie had read about were simple constructs using a magical infusion of absorbed abilities to perform certain tasks, but one that could talk and think on such level like Black Shield had to be something special. As much as Connie was unsure about Shield's trustworthiness, her dizzy mind kept throwing up strange words, she was absolutely certain her master was _powerful_.

However, none of that mattered right now. She had to get out of this place before the cold, thirst, and exhaustion snuffed her life out forever.

"...cold..."

"...help me..."

Contradiction froze, terrifying memories rushing through her head.

"Shit, shit, no no no, not now," she whispered, holding her breath to listen for the source of quiet wailing in the distance.

"...hungry..."

It was behind her, and she was pretty certain about what the _it_ was. Forcing herself to limp forward, she picked up the pace while trying to do as little noise as possible with her shuffling. Following the trail of her own blood, she now knew where the tunnel would lead. The only thing remaining was to hope that the horror behind her had dragged her through the main mine complex before.

There used to be mining operations going on inside mount Canterlot reaching deep down underground. However, from what Connie had been told after her first encounter with the... _thing_ shambling after her, the mines had been closed after several cave-ins which killed groups of miners. Most original entrances to the mining complex had been barricaded, but sometimes somepony living near the mountain wanted to enlarge their cellar, and knocked through a weak wall. Adventurous foals got lost, and the thing now used their voices to call for help and lure others towards it.

Connie had never _seen_ the lurker, but had heard it once before while attempting to reach Canterlot castle vault through a secret entrance in the sewers. She had been warned not to pursue the desperate and weak voice calling for help, and there had been more important things to do at the time anyway. Abomination created by blood magic, she recalled, a vengeful amalgamation of souls of the lost miners and later the devoured. All that fueled by hatred of miners towards those who despite warnings kept sending them inside the mountain, their last wishes for revenge, their despair.

"...so alone..."

Who knew if Connie was now powerful enough to fight it, but she wasn't going to stop and find out. If one thing was in her favour now, it was that her pursuer was not fast by any means. On the other hoof, neither was she.

It was getting closer.

"Dammit, move!" she limped harder, but her right hind leg was stiff as wood.

Her head was spinning and her breathing grew ragged again. The adrenaline was keeping her going, but it was fading as her wounds and the events of whatever long ago the fight had happened caught up to her.

Led only by the faintest light of her now flickering telekinetic tentacle -she would have to name the things later- she reached, after agonizing eternity, a conflux of mine tunnels and shafts. Freezing cold air rushed from a giant hole in the middle of the enormous cavern still protected by rusty iron railings.

"Alright, any way upwards will do... any hole," she looked at the ground underneath her and hissed, "Crap, can't make out where the thing dragged me from. Alright, just go up then."

"...warmth..."

The wide ledge spiraling upwards around the hole which was the main shaft and a source of air down here was full of obstacles - small cave-ins, old barrels of mining explosives, mine carts and rails, but in Connie's unsteady state those were a blessing in disguise as she had something to support herself whenever the flashing lights of exhaustion inside her head threatened to end her progress.

"...astonishment."

"Buck!" Connie cursed as another echoing voice came from the mouth of the tunnel just ahead. Her head darted down the spiraling walkways where heavy, dragging steps accompanied by hissing and weeping kept coming from. Were there more of the creatures?

Focusing, she felt a stab of pain through her head and spine, but the familiar flow of telekinesis was there. Maybe she could just quickly push and keep plodding on-

"Tomato," a cheery female voice called out, followed by a beam of bright light momentarily blinding Connie coming from the tunnel.

"Wait what?" the unicorn muttered-

"MISS CONNIE!"

-and something tackled her onto the cold ground. On the bright side, her tackler was definitely warmer than any underground terror could be, and the tongue licking Contradiction's face didn't seem to have any ill intention whatsoever.

"Contradiction?!" a deeper and definitely louder voice along with heavy stomping and clanking of steel joined the original voice.

"Get offa me!" Connie pushed against Bubbles' barrel, failing completely.

"We found miss Connie!" Bubbles exclaimed loudly.

"Shut! Up!" barked Connie firmly.

"The hell is wrong with you again?" Anvil stomped over, shoving Bubbles surprised by Connie's hostility aside, "We've been through-"

"Shut up, you idiot, and listen!"

"To what? More of your whining-"

"...warmth..."

"...feed..."

"...hungry..."

Anvil's eyes went wide as the voices spoke all at once. She shone her flashlight down the main shaft, but wasn't sure what she saw. The normally bright beam of light distorted at its end, revealing nothing other than movement, the movement of something that _devoured_ the light itself.

"No, to that, dumbass," Connie sneered, "Now how about you help me get up and-"

She heard a soft click as Anvil's finger flicked something on Bubbles' helmet, then a long intake of breath.

"GGGGGRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWRRRRRRRRRRRRR!"

It took a while for the ringing in Contradiction's ears to stop and her eyes to uncross. It didn't help that the first non-blurry image she saw was the grinning muzzle of a minotaur. Anvil was looking down the ledge with her arms crossed on her chest and a satisfied expression.

Contradiction still heard the shuffling and quiet weeping-

"...still hungryyyy..."

-however, it was growing distant with each second.

She stared at the shifting darkness retreating under twin beams of light. Alright, time to sort something out right here and now. Pushing herself back on all fours, she cleared her throat. Bubbles slid some sort of a latch on the earholes of her helmet and Anvil gave her a grim stare. Connie returned the gaze stoically.

"I'm sorry for being such a terrible bitch," she said simply, "It wasn't entirely my fault, and I'll explain details later, but I definitely don't deserve a stroke of luck like you two being here right now. Believe it or not, I am really happy to see both you, Anvil, and you, Bubbles."

"So... will you be nice again, miss Connie?" Bubbles, head low, inched towards her. Connie leaned down and rubbed Bubbles' muzzle with hers.

"I'll do my best."

"We will have words," added Anvil, but Bubbles poked her leg with her head. Anvil sighed, "Look, you can't expect us to forgive you just for apologizing."

"I'm not expecting anything," Connie shook her head, "but there will be enough time for kicking my ass later. Now listen to me and let's get out of here."

"EHM," Anvil coughed loudly, "I am the official leader of this operation by sir Cromach's order. You are a civilian I was supposed to recover."

A single corner of Connie's mouth rose. Now that the immediate danger was gone, she could affort a little distraction from her pitiful state.

"Of course, miss big leader," she said angelically while smiling, "Please escort me out of this dreadful place. I am eager to see the surface as soon as I can."

Anvil and Bubbles exchanged glances.

"Ehm, we... sort of don't know the way."

"What?" Connie facehoofed.

"We dropped here through a hole in the ground."

"Can we get out the same way?"

"Sure thing, we are just walking through cold tunnels because we enjoy darkness and exploration."

Connie chuckled.

"Well, I know a way out of here, kind of," she paused, counting quietly, "Wait, how long have I been gone?"

"About two days."

Connie rubbed her freezing and numb legs.

"Feels about right. Damn... so cold."

"Hey, Bubbly," Anvil nodded to Bubbles twitching her ears and looking confused, "Did you take some spare clothes?"

Bubbles shook her head and focused on here and now. Something was bothering her. Scent, a whisper in the air. She couldn't quite place it, but it made everything inside her... twist. Still, in few seconds she pulled a plain white Order shirt out of her saddlebag which Connie happily put on immediately.

"You know where we are then?" asked Anvil.

"Not exactly. We're inside the Canterlot mountain mine complex. I'm not sure on what level, though."

"The tunnel we fell into was sloping down slightly, but it was only twice my height under surface. We've been walking for half an hour at most," Anvil offered her analysis.

"Oh?" Connie asked, looking up the spiraling ledge spanning the enormous circular main shaft.

"I worked in Rift mines for few months. There's a ton of raw materials under the city."

"Alright. Then we can either follow the shaft upwards until we reach the top levels where we might find a way into upper Canterlot, or we can search every tunnel around to find a lower Canterlot exit. I think the way up is better, because the spiderweb of tunnels down here must be massive while it can't be that bad on the top. How about that, miss leader?"

"I know when to accept guidance. Perhaps you might learn one day too," Anvil replied with a smug smile.

Authority situation understood by both sides, Connie took point, and the trio went on their way to finally get out of the mines.

"Got anything to eat?" asked Connie after stumbling due to her foreleg temporarily failing her.

"Mhm," Bubbles absent-mindedly trotted in front of Connie and wiggled her saddlebag while sniffing the air.

"What's going on, Bubbly?" asked Anvil, "You've been out of it since we found Contradiction."

"I... I don't know. Something is weird. As if somepony wanted to hurt me, but not me."

"Maybe it's just this place. I haven't felt darkness this oppressive for a long time. Or maybe it was just the thing I scared off."

"No," Bubbles shook her head, "Nothing is nearby. This place smells strange, but... I don't know. I just feel something is wrong."

Anvil patted the demoness' neck.

"The sooner we get out of here the sooner you'll feel better."

"I guess..." muttered Bubbles, clearly unconvinced.

Close to an hour later, Contradiction was certain they had to be getting near the top floors of the mines. The air was fresher, and the main shaft much more narrow.

Bubbles froze...

...and whimpered, head turning around and ears twitching.

"What's-?" Anvil turned her head to the half-demon staring with eyes wide into a dark side-tunnel they were passing by.

Bubbles dropped her flashlight and bolted forward into the blackness.

"What was that about?" asked Connie, levitating the light source.

"No idea. Can you run?" Anvil shone her light into the tunnel, catching only a dim rusty blur quickly disappearing in the distance.

"I can wobble."

"That'll have to do."


	26. Mistakes: Freedom

Appearing in complete darkness, Astray had no idea where he was, when he was, or, temporarily, who he was. As the satyr gradually regained knowledge of himself and his own body, he realized two new things - it was cold, and he absolutely despised teleportation. Possibly it was due to the spell being experimental, or that his stomach wasn't used to it, but he had to sit down in the sea of cold ink to gather himself.

After a minute of controlled heavy breathing, his eyes got used to the lack of light, spotting faint shimmer in the distance. Thankfully, he still had his backpack and all his, and some Connie's, belongings. A quick blind fumbling inside later, he pulled out the double-ended flashlight and on the second attempt turned the correct function on. It didn't let out a beam of light, rather illuminating the area like an uncovered lightbulb. Astray once again had to admire the gadget's reach when it revealed that he was standing in a domed cavern filled with some sort of carts, steel tracks, and other mess. Over a dozen tunnel mouths dotted the cavern's circumference, and Astray finally recovered from his magical trip enough to realize the shimmer was a dim ray of light coming from the one across the cave from him.

The spell was supposed to bring him close to Contradiction. Maybe she was there?

"Miss Contradiction!" he called out, his voice echoing through the complex of tunnels, "MISS CONTRADICTION!"

No answer, at least at first.

*Clip. Clop.*

Slow hoofsteps of a pony descending down stone stairs reached Astray's ears, making him rush over to the lit tunnel. Somepony was coming and they might know where he landed. After all, this could be some complex of storage cellars or something. As he was halfway through the clearly pony-made cavern, a pony walked into the glow cast by his flashlight.

A _big_ pony.

She was clearly a brown-coated earthpony mare with her greyish-blond mane hanging limply around her head. Astray couldn't see a cutie mark, but perhaps it was something that blended well with her coat, or-

She also had the butt of a zebra queen, he couldn't help noticing as his eyes slid over her form all the way to...

...the thin, steely, scorpion-like tail whipping the air behind her.

Horrible premonition assaulted Astray recalling sir Cromach's description of the undead mare called Black Shield. Reaching for the sword on his belt, he nonetheless asked:

"You there, have you seen a white-maned, black unicorn mare around?"

The mare stopped, looking straight at Astray.

"The last time I saw that pony was on the train to Canterlot," Shield answered calmly, "You are one of the three who she was working with. A... satyr, am I right?"

Astray's breathing sped up as his fingers grasped the handle of his weapon. He didn't pull it out yet, though.

"You are the flesh golem, Black Shield."

"Guilty as charged," Shield gave him a smile he could only describe as strangely sad.

Astray didn't know what to do or say. His enemy was standing right in front of him, and he just stared, paralyzed. His mind raced a mile a minute, his training saving him and making him recall every detail he could about the pegasus flesh golem from the sewers. Shield didn't have that many enhancements, was about the same size, but moved with catlike grace instead of limping stomp like the other one. On top of that, Astray just didn't have it in him to attack somepony, even somepony like Shield, without being attacked first.

"You used to be a Royal Guard, I was told. Why did you do all you did? The rings, the hospital, Connie."

Shield raised a hoof, examining it from all sides.

"What does it matter now anyway? You are here, you know about me, and that means I'll have to get rid of you eventually."

Astray gritted his teeth, still refraining from pulling his weapon out.

"Because I was also told the Royal Guard are the best, the most loyal, and the most dedicated ponies who serve the public. You were like that."

Shield chuckled.

"It's just a job like any other. What is your name, by the way? You know a lot about me, but it's rude not to introduce yourself to a lady."

"Astray."

"Well, Astray, I don't really have a say in the matter of what I do or don't do anymore. As much as I like some 'upgrades' my master made to me after killing me and raising me from the dead, I miss just being able to go out for a drink with friends. That, and all that free will thing."

"Are you being controlled by magic?"

Astray inched himself towards Shield, curiosity now winning over dread.

"Yes," nodding, Shield slowly mirrored the approach.

When he was close enough to touch her, Astray let go of his sheathed sword and did something his entire being was screaming at him for being stupid.

He scratched Shield behind the ear.

She was cold. Not like something frozen, only something that wasn't generating heat anymore. Astray had never felt anything similar before. Living beings were soft and warm, and Shield was by all means alive, but cold like a statue, as if something was missing from a real pony. The alien sensation left him creeped out, but he couldn't simply let go when he saw the mare was easing into his touch, eyes closed and clearly enjoying the contact.

"To be honest, I expected you to attack me by surprise when I'm this close," he commented.

"Wouldn't be much of a surprise when you were expecting it, would it?" Shield allowed herself a quiet laugh. From her observation of the satyr during her time following Contradiction, she knew his capabilities enough to be sure she was completely in control of the situation. Flicking her ear, she nudged his hand away, "Aaaah, real warmth. I missed that."

"You're welcome," Astray retracted his hand, "You know... I really wasn't expecting you to be like this."

"Like what?" Shield raised an eyebrow.

"Not after my throat."

She sighed.

"I don't know how you got here, but I'm under no order to harm you. However, that will certainly change when my master arrives."

"So, how about I get out of here?" asked Astray without much hope.

"If you think I can let you leave then you haven't been listening," Shield shook her head, "If you want to fight, we can start right now. Otherwise... you can be the first pony other than my master I'm speaking to in weeks."

Astray knew it would be better to fight now, before Shield's master appeared and made the situation a two on one.

Yet, still he couldn't. Shield needed someone, he could clearly see it in her. She was enslaved and locked in a misery nopony should ever live through, and if a warm word was the best Astray could do for her then he would. So, he asked:

"How is it being undead?"

"A feeling to die for," Shield gave him a smug look when he facepalmed. However, Astray's following grin was genuine.

"Is there a way I can help you? I mean, it's my job in a way or something. Maybe, I'm not really sure."

"Help... me?" Shield took a deep breath and then sighed, "Me being here is your death sentence and you want to help me?"

"Why are you keeping me here anyway? I don't even know where this place is. A wizard called Arcane Hex just teleported me here to look for Contradiction."

Shaking her head, Shield's smile grew bitter.

"Then I can honestly say I am really sorry that you are in the wrong place at the wrong time. Sadly, now you know about me, and the only way out is where I came from. And where I came from is secret. A secret my master can't allow you to know."

Astray's memory worked overtime. The last flesh golem had been basically immune to any crushing damage he could cause, the undead flesh made sure of it. Even Anvil's mace had been mostly an instrument to shove him away instead of a weapon. Astray's pistol could pierce the hard skin, but he was doubtful Shield needed working organs in the same way a pony did. His sword was the best bet. A slashing weapon could possibly cut off a limb and then he could run.

Killing Shield didn't even cross his mind anymore.

"I'll ask one more time. This place is a maze of tunnels, at least from what I see from here. How about you let me go a different way? Maybe I'll get lucky."

Shield opened and closed her mouth. She took several steps away as if leaving, then froze and turned back to face him. Ears floppy, she shook her head.

"It won't let me."

"Then I guess this is it," Astray took his backpack off and unsheathed his sword.

"Wait!" Shield raised her hoof, "You wanted to do something for me, right?"

"I was kind of hoping I might free you or... you know."

"I have only one path to freedom, and you aren't strong enough to grant me that. But," she walked close to Astray, sat down on her haunches, and stretched her forelegs towards him, "I'd like to feel the touch of somepony other than the damn unicorn controlling me."

Just like before, this was the best time for Astray to strike, and he didn't take the chance. Instead, he kneeled down and hugged the desperate mare, twitching slightly as her tail wrapped around his waist.

"I guess your master doesn't give you hugs as much as he should," Astray muttered in her ear.

"He made changes to my body, he made my plot look like a zebra whorse's, he plows me daily and his magic forces me to feel ecstatic about it," Shield sniffled, "And the worst part is that I like it. It's the last thing I have left. Everything else I feel, touch, smell... everything is just a shadow of what the world used to be. There's just forced mind-breaking pleasure, or the hollow cold of death."

"Maybe, if I get out of here, I can find a wizard who could break the spell."

"No, but thank you for the sentiment. You'll never know how much it means to me. There's a core inside me, a crystal my master periodically recharges. I cannot show you where because this body won't allow me to show you any weakness. Even saying this is difficult. I have to keep tricking the spell with each thought that I'm saying this only because I'm desperate. At least that part isn't too hard," Shield rubbed her muzzle against Astray's neck, "The core is tuned only to his power. If I leave him somehow, the energy will run out, this body will fail, and I will finally die. If it is destroyed, it's the same thing. I wish I had more options, but all the magic books I read since I died state the same."

"Alright," Astray tightened his hug, making Shield blink in surprise, "Then we can stay like this for as long as you need."

Shield had no idea what she'd done to deserve a blessing like this. She knew it would only be temporary, and eventually she'd end covered in the satyr's blood. However, as his heat penetrated the cold flesh of her body, she felt happier than ever before, relieved, and deep down maybe even hopeful. Maybe the trainings she'd secretly observed in Manehattan while trailing Contradiction had been misleading. Maybe Astray was strong enough to end her misery, but...

...but she was somehow sure that was just blind hope. She needed to give him a chance, _any_ chance.

"If I were alive and still had this hot piece of ass, I'd show a kind-hearted guy like you an evening you would never forget. But," she pushed suddenly blushing Astray away, "there is no way you can get out after my master arrives. If you ever want to see daylight again, or at least not end up a slave like me, you have to go all out and kill me now."

Standing up, she walked a little way off, then took a deep breath, and whipped her tail. Astray, understanding Shield was giving him the only chance he would get, suited up, stomped a little to get used to the weight of the armor without the backpack, then flourished his sword in one hand and the flashlight in the other.

After all, quicksilver bullets loaded in the pistol should work against magical enchantments, but Shield needed to see and, as Cromach had said, a well-aimed beam of blinding laser should be more useful.

"Alright," Shield stomped the ground, "Don't go easy on me. Understood? No matter what. Once we start, I won't be able to stop."

"I under-"

*Clip. Clop. Clip. Clop. Clip-*

Astray's heart skipped a beat. From the same cellar that had let Shield in came a second figure wearing a brown robe with a hood. The only thing Astray could identify was that it was a stallion size-wise, and a unicorn thanks to the horn poking through the hood.

A voice he'd never heard before said:

"So this was the magical disturbance," Astray didn't see anything through the darkness of the hood, but the bored tone of the unicorn hurt enough, "Get rid of him."

The only warning Astray got was Shield's twitch as she stopped herself for a second before charging straight at him.

He should have fought her earlier. He should have attacked Shield after she's said he wouldn't be let go. But... had he done that he wouldn't be himself. He couldn't leave a hurting soul without what little help he could offer.

And now he would pay for it.

Still, the unicorn didn't seem intent on joining the fight just yet, so Shield was the only enemy for now.

Astray's training with Antares paid off instantly when he sidestepped before Shield would slam into him, kicked the knee of her foreleg, causing her to trip, and stabbed her in the barrel. The creaking of steel against ribs made him a little sick, and...

...he got his breath knocked out of him as Shield's tail whipped his side.

Quickly jumping back up from the floor, he realized his sword was on the cavern floor a little way away and that Shield was closing in, raising on her hind legs to punch his head off. Blindly drawing his gun, he shot in Shield's direction.

A groan told him that the projectile had worked. To what degree, he wasn't going to check, instead opting for a quick lunge towards his sword. As he grabbed it, Shield's tail wrapped around his fetlock and heaved, making him slide across the floor before letting go. Rolling, Astray didn't let go of his weapon this time, and, on his back, kicked Shield away with both his legs as soon as she pounced at him to crush his ribcage.

Pain shot throughout his leg and he realized how heavy and hard Shield actually was. A kick which would sent a normal pony flying only made her stumble, and Astray had to roll away to avoid Shield's tail impaling his skull. He hit something like a steel bar which stopped his roll - Shield's leg. She was now standing directly above him, tail still stuck inside the floor.

As she raised her hoof to stomp him into paste, the steel stick of the flashlight digging into Astray's swordless palm made itself remembered. In the fraction of his possibly last second, he flicked the correct switch and aimed it Shield in the face. She didn't make a sound, but shook her head and stumbled, her hoof only grazing his head.

Quietly thanking his guardian star because even a normal step coupled with Shield's size would likely turn his face into a pancake, Astray pressed his hooves against Shield again, this time grabbing her foreleg with one arm, and pushed. Shield keeled over, ending on her back, and Astray grasped his sword again. The satyr's strength and endurance training, but most of all the knowledge of grabs and balance he'd learned from Antares were keeping him alive.

Standing above Shield wiping her eyes, he didn't hesitate and stabbed right where a pony heart would be. Shield's tail wrapped around his hand, pulled him down, and...

...flashing lights danced in front of his eyes.

"Grrngh!" he stumbled backwards, wiping fresh blood streaming from his nose and mouth away. His vision was swimming after Shield's punch, and his stomach revolved, but he was still standing after what felt like eating a cannonball.

Unfortunately, Shield was standing up as well, blinking, shaking her head, but looking straight at him. Either whatever magic kept her body working was able to regenerate her eyesight, or Cromach had been overselling the flashlight's power. Seeing the lack of damage his stab had caused, Astray leaned towards the first option, though. His pistol had worked well, shocking Shield and slowing her dowm temporarily, but he didn't have the time to grab a new bullet from the pouch on his belt and reload.

"Alright, Shield," the unicorn called out, "Enough playing around, I have research to return to."

Like a blur, Shield moved much faster than before, appearing in front of Astray, punching his stomach, turning her back to him, and bucking up with her hind legs. Astray flew a considerable distance before hitting the floor in burning agony accompanying his every breath.

So... this was Shield when she wasn't able to slow herself down anymore.

From the corner of his eyes, he saw bright yellow and red light. Even in pain and on his back, he had enough presence of mind to first look at Shield who stood still before following the light. The unicorn's horn was glowing with flames, and a head-sized ball of molten magma hung in the air in front of him, growing steadily.

Astray tried to sit up but keeled over as his clearly cracked ribs felt like somepony stabbing him with a spear. Then he realized Shield wasn't attacking him anymore because the spell was about to go off, and if there was something that worked against the undead, it was fire. He was going to die in several seconds.

However, the bitter, devastated expression on Shield's face told him all he needed to rest well. Even for a moment, he'd brought solace to somepony in need. This was only a small price to pay. He just wished Bubbles wouldn't have to pay a part of it when she found out.

Bubbles rushed through the dark tunnel. She didn't need light, she didn't need a map. She didn't hear miss Connie and Anvil calling for her. In fact, she wasn't feeling much other than the faint tug of something inside her which was leading her through the web of corridors.

It wasn't far.

Soon, she heard groans, stomps, scratching of steel on stone, and dull thuds. Flickering light was coming from just behind the curve of the tunnel. Orange light of a lava lamp mixed with the glow of a flashlight. Bubbles jumped at such speed that she needed to bury the claws of one foreleg into the stone floor in order not to slam into the tunnel wall and correct her course out of the mine shaft.

Three pairs of eyes turned to her as they heard her growl.

Astray was on the ground, clutching his chest and bleeding all over his face. A short distance away from him stood a titanic earthpony with scorpion tail watching Bubbles with narrowing eyes. Bubbles' instinct, the tingling in her whole body, made her bare her teeth at the earthpony who had to be Black Shield. However, she knew that was just her basic need, the need to protect who _belonged_ to her. Her succubus part wanted her source of fun and food to survive. Her predator part needed its toy. Her pony heritage and growth wanted to shove herself in the way of the blow aimed at the nicest being she'd met in her life.

However, her rage at herself for being an unthinking animal took over for once, and the discipline of combat training won. The unicorn wizard was the problem. He was charging some spell. The spell was deadly.

Knowing only those three things, she bolted like a feral, but with mind like cold steel, beast, zig-zagging towards the mage. The glowing ball hovering above the unicorn's head moved a little towards her arcing to the caster in a second. She made it three quarters of the way before...

...everything went red, hot, and loud.

Anvil, dragging Contradiction moving her legs half in the air by the borrowed shirt jumped out of the tunnel right before the ball of fire exploded into sparks after hitting Bubbles square in the muzzle and the almost liquid flames sent out a wave of heat she felt all this way away.

"BUBBLY!" screamed Anvil.

"Bubbles!" groaned Astray.

Connie, let go by Anvil, just collapsed on the floor, pleasantly cold in comparison to the raging inferno in front of the enemy unicorn shielding his eyes.

Secret Seeker pointed his foreleg at Astray. Shield pounced, tail about to impale the satyr's neck to the ground. A glowing tentacle grew from the ground, wrapped around Shield mid-jump, and slammed her in a long, round arc into the stone floor which cracked.

"Feeling better, I take it," Anvil grinned at Connie, freeing her warmace from the harness on her back with a short tug.

"I have some unfinished business with her, but I think the unicorn is the real problem," Connie, trembling once again after the telekinetic feat.

"GRRRRRRWRRRRR!"

The growl made everyone on both sides freeze. It had the deep harmonics of terror the original pony of ages long gone heard inside a deep, unexplored cave. They all realized the cavern had gone cold after the unicorn's first spell, only hearing the creaking of rock cooling down from its melting point. In the middle of the steaming crater stood a figure - smoking, but only with tips of her hair and mane singed, Bubbles.

"Heh, fireballs against a demon," Connie chuckled.

Her amusement faded when Seeker recovered instantly, a wall of ice shards materializing in front of him. Shattering into a hail of icicles guided by Seeker's foreleg, the spell acquired its target and followed Bubbles jumping from side to side to dodge and get to Seeker backing away.

"Let's do this!" Anvil took a step towards Bubbles chasing the wizard down, but Connie stopped her.

"Go help Astray, the unicorn can't just teleport away from _me_. That, and I'm positive he has both rings on him. It'll take damage I can deal to stop him, not your oversized flyswatter."

Anvil wanted to remind Contradiction about current leadership, but stopped herself. This wasn't the time, and...

...after watching crushed Astray try to get up over and over and fail, she was seeing red.

She wanted to roar so loud the entire underground would hear, that the whole mount Canterlot would shake, but she also knew that last time she'd done that it caused sir Cromach to nearly die. Instinct was not something to obey yet. She didn't have enough experience for her instinct to be right.

"Touch him again, and I'll rip you in half with my bare hands," Anvil rushed off.

Connie heard it, though.

"That guy got both of them?" she shook her head, "Unbelievable."

Anvil's mace missed as Shield dodged to the side, sending sparks and pieces of rock everywhere.

"I'm sorry," she heard Astray call out, followed by a gunshot.

Shield froze, her view of the world momentarily distorting with the quicksilver bullet disrupting the magic keeping her alive. Before Anvil could ready her mace again, she'd already recovered, punching the minotaur in her stomach. It wasn't as devastating as with Astray due to Anvil's heavier armor and physique, but it gave her enough time to rush past the minotaur, extend her tail, and spear Astray's gun holding hand.

"DON'T WARN HER, IDIOT!" Anvil huffed, "Don't be a wuss when it finally counts!"

"NO, YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!" Astray clutched his forearm, looking around for something to stop the bleeding, "She's not-"

He was interrupted by a scream from Black Shield herself.

"BOTH OF YOU SHUT THE HELL UP AND FINALLY STOP ME!"

"Now you're speaking my language," Anvil aimed her pistol and pulled the trigger.

The short second of Shield's paralysis worked this time as Anvil closed the distance and swung her mace. Shield dodged again, making Anvil demolish the floor one more time. This time, though, the minotaur let the mace go, sidestepping a vertically swinging tail, pulling out the sword on her belt, and chopping quickly ducking Shield's ear off. Using the bastard sword with only one hand, her second hand was ready and punched Shield away from her.

Seeker's foreleg drew a symbol in the air, and Bubbles slowed down to a quarter of her speed. Bubbles knew the spell from the training, but she still had no idea what to do against it. This one was vastly less powerful, though, so she tried to push through, feeling it weaken with every movement of her muscles.

Shards of ice formed above Seeker, aiming at her, before...

...not moving an inch.

Connie watched the mage wave his foreleg and his horn glow ineffectively with sadistic amusement.

"Not working as intended? Don't worry, I've been with guys with the same problem."

Her telekinetic grip on the projectiles slipped as they melted. Despite what Connie had told Anvil, she wasn't sure she could hold a living target effectively. Her best bet was to occupy the unicorn until Bubbles recovered from the slowing spell.

When Secret Seeker summoned a tornado of small, sharp rocks, each shooting out at Connie, she quickly realized even slowing the enemy down was much easier said than done. She wasn't in any shape to dodge, so she had to telekinetically deflect each rock Seeker threw, turning the fight into a duel of reflexes, will, and mental endurance. He shot, she deflected, she shot an invisible spike, Seeker's tornado weakened as the mage looked in disbelief at the deep cut in his robe and blood seeping through. With a scowl, a glimmering amethyst aura enveloped him. It wobbled when Connie's next mental projectile hit.

Well, at least his offensive power dropped a little. In her state, Connie took every advantage she could.

Speed returned to Bubbles' world. She saw the enemy locked in a battle of some magic with miss Connie, circled around, and bit the purple barrier. It cracked.

The second bite made it disappear and Bubbles rub her muzzle.

Secret Seeker looked behind him, his offensive spell failing. He saw the deadly open muzzle, focused, and...

...his body moved so fast it seemed to teleport. Unfortunately, the target was the nearest wall.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!" Seeker screamed as he stretched his legs to slow his movement. The force of the shove was such that his limbs instantly broke in multiple places. He wasn't used to physical pain, and this was far too much for him to handle.

The agonized scream of her master broke Shield's battle trance. Her body forced her to turn her head away from Anvil to see what had happened. Seeing Secret Seeker in a broken heap by the distant wall made her move involuntarily towards him. Unfortunately, it was a direction into which her fighting instinct would never go because of Anvil's currently slashing sword.

Another punch from Anvil made her trip over her own leg, giving the minotaur enough time to finally take a deep breath and swing down as wide as she could. The bastard sword cleaved the hardened flesh, chopping Shield's foreleg off. Spinning around, Anvil's next blow chopped off the dock of Shield's tail, the whole thing dropping on the ground. Now barely holding balance, Shield was kicked down on the floor by Anvil who raised her sword again to cut her head off.

"Please, no," Astray groaned, dragging himself towards them, "Just take her foreleg so that she can't fight."

Anvil looked at the pleading satyr before gritting her teeth and chopping Shield's other foreleg off.

"Thank you," whispered Astray, "Help the others."

Seeing none of the satyr's bleeding was fatal or overly threatening, Anvil rushed towards the remaining three fighters.

Under the effect of both rings, Secret Seeker was already standing again and shielding himself from pouncing Bubbles and Connie looking for a moment of weakness.

Seeker's horn glowed, and Anvil's legs gave out, making the minotaur drop on the floor. The momentary paralysis spell left him open for Bubbles flanking him and chomping his shielding spell again. Despite the miraculous healing properties of the rings' full power, Seeker couldn't focus on three things at once. As soon as the barrier disappeared, Connie found the hole in the mage's defenses she needed, sending out a telekinetic edge which sliced all four Seeker's legs at knee-height.

The air around the unicorn blurred, and he disappeared.

Connie's glowing tentacles flailed through the air where the mage had been a fraction of a second ago. She waited with held breath, and...

...nothing.

She had to be too weak to affect reality like before.

"Damn it!" she cursed to herself.

"It's a contingency spell!" they heard a clear voice of Black Shield, "He can't be far! Go up to the cellar where I came from. You might still catch him."

"Where?" asked Anvil, standing up as the feeling in her legs returned.

Shield pointed the stump of her foreleg towards one of the tunnel mouths.

"Follow me, that's an order!" the minotaur waved her arm and ran off.

Bubbles went along without a word. Connie looked hesitantly at Astray lying on the floor who nodded. Shrugging, the unicorn decided not to question anything for now.

Shield and Astray were left alone, only with the breathing of one of them and several sets of disappearing hoofsteps.

"I was surprised you could say all that."

"Yeah," Shield blinked, "Definitely... that's weird. My master's name is Secret Seeker, and... oh," she stopped, "We are under Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns. Umm... can you drag yourself over here, Astray, please?"

Slowly getting up, Astray hissed at the shooting pain.

"I'm feeling tired all of a sudden..." muttered Shield in surprise, mostly to herself.

The satyr crawled on all fours over to Shield, cradling her head in his lap.

"Haven't felt... anything... in so... long."

"Are you okay now?" Astray brushed Shield's bloodied mane away from her muzzle, careful not to touch the stump of her ear, "You... hey, miss Shield?"

"Just... just Black... Shield. I... I think Seeker must be... too weak for the... spell to work... properly."

"But now that you are you we might save you, right?"

Smiling, Shield shook her head. In her savaged shape, she was a terrifying sight, but Astray couldn't help returning the smile.

"Still thinking... about that, eh? Let's... not do that. I don't want to just... switch the wizard I slave for."

"But you can clear your name, sort stuff out with your family. I will vouch for you in front of the princess if necessary. I-"

Shield wiggled her foreleg stumps.

"Don't. I don't want... anypony... to see me... like this. Anyway... what if Seeker... escapes? I don't... want this to... continue."

Through the cut off chunk of Shield's barrel, Astray saw her lungs slowly rising and falling. So she was breathing all the time, only so weakly.

"I... I don't know what to do," the satyr felt a tear run down his cheek.

"Got... something... sharp?"

He nodded, shuffling away for his sword lying on the floor nearby and returning to Shield.

"Is this enough?"

"I... think so," Shield nodded, "Cut into... my chest. There should be a... crystal. Pull it... out."

"But that'll kill you!"

"I knew... I had only one... way out. Please..."

Just like everyone else in this difficult situation, Astray, ever since arriving at the Order for the first time, learned when to listen.

The tough flesh resisted, but pretty soon he cut his way through to the chest cavity using the original wound Anvil had caused. Feeling like a butcher, his only way to mentally survive the hacking and spreading of ribs was Shield's content smile following his every move.

"It doesn't hurt, really?"

"Not... at all. Do you... see it?"

Shoving both his hands inside, Astray saw faint purple glimmer next to the extremely slowly beating heart.

"This?" he touched it.

"Hnnnnnng!" Shield shook in his lap as the strange shiver rushed through her whole body and what she felt was soul, "Take... it out... and destroy... it."

"I... can't," Astray shook his head, "You are a good pony. I can't just kill you."

"Please. Secret... Seeker... murdered me... a long time... ago. I would... do it myself... but that... minotaur... kinda... cut my forelegs off... and tail. I sort of... liked the... tail... and ass."

"But-"

"Listen... either I will be... under somepony else's... control. Or... I'll die as the... energy... runs out. That... actually... hurts. Just like... when you... touched it."

Her despair ripped Astray inside, but what could he do? When did he start thinking his opinion was worth more than Shield's own. The best he could do was to respect her final wish.

"Alright, I'll do it. Just trust me that I would want to do anything to help you if I knew how."

"You already... are."

"Okay, brace yourself," grasping the hoof-sized crystal, he pulled it out.

"Hnnnng! Owwww..."

It shimmered and hummed, and a small piece of it was missing. As he looked closer and then inside the open chest for it, Shield chuckled.

"Your... Contradiction... did that. She almost... got me... before."

"You know," Astray pulled Shield into a hug, ignoring the growing stains all over his clothes, "Relaxing like this fits you better. Can you even feel it?"

"You... are warm..."

"You are so cold."

Growing colder with each passing moment, in fact.

"I... did it. Can you... please... tell the Royal Guards... about me? Tell my family... that I brought my killer... to... justice."

"Of course. It takes quite the pony to avenge themselves from beyond the grave. You are definitely one in a million, miss Shield."

"Just... Black... Shield."

Her eyes misted over, turning into white orbs. The grip of her hind legs and foreleg stumps on Astray went limp.

"Screw you... master. Heh... I finally... did it. I'm... free..."

Successful in the end, Black Shield took her final breath.

Astray lay Shield's corpse down. He wanted to stay there with her, but he knew the others might need him. Putting the power crystal under his armored boot, he stood up, and crushed it to dust. Filled with newfound determination, he gathered his backpack and weapons.

No one, no matter how powerful, would ever do something like what happened to Black Shield to anyone else.

Not on Astray's watch.

 _Never_!

There was no door, only a rectangular part of wall which was open like one.

After ascending up a short staircase his teammates had taken a short while earlier, Astray was greeted with the sight of the robed unicorn lying motionlessly on the floor in a pool of blood, Contradiction carefully checking all pockets of his robe, Anvil walking around the room, and Bubbles sniffing around. The place looked like a clean cellar with white walls, some empty shelves by the walls, several lightbulbs on the ceiling bathing the room in bright light, and crates clearly bashed open by Anvil's hammer containing some paper boxes with writing Astray couldn't read.

His hoofsteps made the three turn their heads.

"ASTRAY!" Bubbles shot towards him, hugging his leg so tight that she threatened to cut his blood flow off. After fruitlessly trying to shake her off, he just patted her head.

Watching his teammates genuinely happy to see him, even bruised, battered, and swollen Contradiction to his utter surprise, Astray pondered his luck. Arcane Hex's spell had worked, it had brought him close to Connie, but to Black Shield and her master as well. They must have been searching for her. He realized he should have asked Shield about it again after her control spell had worn off, but interrogation had been the last thing on his mind.

Instead, he just returned Connie's weary smile, the unicorn nodding at him. Anvil strode over, grabbing him by his shoulders and sweeping him off of the floor with Bubbles still attached.

"Oh, stars, help, my ribs!"

His wheezing fit of pain made Anvil let him go overly gently, but she still let her hands remain on his shoulders.

"What about Black Shield?" she asked.

"I'll tell you everything later," Astray pushed her hands off of him and turned to Connie, "Is there a way to get Shield's personal file from the Royal Guard? She asked me to tell her friends and family what happened."

"I... think I can manage that," Connie nodded, "She was under this guy's control, wasn't she?"

"Yes. When the spell wore off, she wanted me to destroy the thing keeping her undead and a slave. She is... in peace now," he looked at Shield's master, "His name is Secret Seeker, and he's behind all this. Good job getting to him."

Anvil coughed.

"I doubt this is over, Astray," said Connie seriously, "This _was_ Secret Seeker. _We_ didn't get him," she rolled the now obvious corpse over, revealing a stab wound in the barrel where a heart was, "Somepony else got to him first and took both rings so that this guy couldn't recover."

"Yeah, he's the unicorn who was working on the Royal Guard dig site investigating the avalanche," added Anvil, "I'm positive he was behind us dropping down into the mines. And now that we've found Contradiction, I'm also sure he was there looking for her."

"So, where are we, some secret lair of evil?" asked Bubbles, looking at the door on the other side of the room, "Should I go first?"

"Anvil, will you do the honors?" Connie raised an eyebrow and grinned at the minotaur.

"As a good leader, I accept helpful proposals from my companions," Anvil smiled back, raised her warmace, walked over to the door, and smashed it.

Kicking the bits of wood off of the frame, she disappeared in the hallway on the other side. Astray could hear multiple sets of hoofsteps, then surprised yelling, and rushed outside as well, arriving in a long corridor with stairs on one end and many doors everywhere else.

He stopped, realizing where he was. Shield hadn't been lying.

He'd never been here before, but the repeating emblem on each of the doors of the wide hall was something he knew. Of course, the trio of unicorns in decorative robes with glowing horns staring at Anvil in utter horror were a clue as well.

This had to be some of the scattered buildings belonging to the upper Canterlot complex known as Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns.

"What? Who? Where? Why? What do you think you're doing here, you savages?" one of the unicorn wizards furiously stuttered out.

"Who are you, and where are we?" Anvil asked, angrier and louder.

The wizards took a step back when heavily wounded Contradiction limped out of the cellar.

"I knew you power-hungry bastards were in this together," she hissed. Raising her voice, she ordered, "Weapons down, everypony. By my authority as a second in command of the Order of the Silver Sun AND an honorary member of princess Celestia's Royal Guard, I order you to contact any member of the paladins-"

"But how did you-" one of the mages still didn't get the memo.

"RIGHT THE FUCK NOW!" the hallway walls around Connie creaked as thin cracks ran through them, "Or I'm arresting all of you."

"On what authority?"

"I have just told you. And you'd better listen if you don't want the princess herself taking your robes and pointy hats away. So," Connie smiled with no friendliness in it, "what'll it be?"

"G-g-got any identification?"

Connie's eye twitched. Anvil, however, cleared her throat, walked over to the wizard leaning further and further backwards, and presented her Silver Sun badge. That seemed to calm the mage somewhat, and he nodded to his colleagues.

"You get whoever is on duty upstairs, you contact the Royal Guard. I'll stay here with these... ponies."

"And a damn healer!" Contradiction yelled at the two quickly retreating unicorns.

"Umm, where's Bubbles?" asked Astray, looking back into the cellar. There was now only Seeker's body left in there.

"I sent her to drag Shield over as well," said Connie, chuckling as Astray let out a relieved sigh, "She'll be here soon. Shield was a huge pony and Bubbles isn't the strongest there is."

"So, what now?" asked Anvil.

"You're the boss, what do you think?" Connie sat down, leaning against the wall and closing her eyes.

"I think I don't know enough about Canterlot politics to make a correct judgement."

Connie stared at the minotaur, mouth agape.

"Did I actually hear that, or am I hallucinating due to bloodloss?"

Anvil opened her mouth to retort.

"That was uncalled for," said Astray, "Miss Contradiction, I know you aren't too fond of us no matter what, but Anvil is infinitely smarter than she looks and, despite her occasional... misstep, can stay calm and reasonable when it counts. You are, and for a long time were, the one provoking trouble."

He expected to be yelled at, to possibly recieve some telekinetic punishment. What he wasn't expecting was a corner of Connie's mouth moving up.

"Finally grown a spine, have we? You see, Astray, I wasn't exactly myself when I did all that. I'll tell you everything when we get out of here and get real investigators to scour this place. However, have you ever heard about something called 'banding against a common enemy'? Army sargeants use it often to make their trainees tighten their bonds by joining together to survive the harsh training and abuse. After seeing your first couple trainings, Cromach had this idea that it might work. Unfortunately, my 'accident' made a mess of it."

"The hate... that was all an act?" Astray couldn't believe his ears.

"Oh hell no," Connie shook her head, "but it started that way. I didn't mind being harsh with you, like nearly breaking Anvil's arms and legs on the first day, because I knew it was necessary to beat the useless and annoying parts out of you. I'm just saying... you know what, forget it. I failed to win my own personal fight until recently, and if Cromach allows me to tell you I'll share the details when I'm ready. For now, believe me when I say that I'm happy you're here all alive, I'm happy you're working together, and I'm happy you don't need me around, because I won't be returning as your leader."

"What?" Anvil gasped, taken aback by the admission.

"I realized Cromach is leading the Order on his own. He used to have Blaze, baron Hoof, and commander Darkness do it with him. All the communication with Canterlot and stuff. Shadowstep's changelings have no desire to do anything of that sort. Cromach needs me way more than you do. That, and now that I know what's wrong with my abilities, you are even less of a match for me even in training. I need him. You, only the three of you, are the new Order team, the new Hoof of Fate as baron Heavy Hoof used to call it."

"But-"

"I will, of course, advise you whenever needed," Connie's raised hoof stopped Anvil's reply, "Just like now. We need the Royal Guard to send special forces here, somepony who can deal with any magic Secret Seeker and whoever killed him used to operate unnoticed. None of us knows anything about real magic so we aren't equipped to deal with this. Plus, the wizards will be pissed. Am I right?"

Everyone looked at the remaining robed unicorn just standing there and listening.

"The orders of wizardry don't look kindly on anypony making mess in their classrooms and laboratories. That is correct."

"Exactly," Connie nodded, "There will be some political pushback, but that's Celestia's business. When she finds out that a murderer, a thief of ancient magical artefacts, and a user of necromancy had a base here in the school, which I suppose he did... oh boy, the fireworks. But for now, we..."

Connie's eyes closed, her voice fading.

Astray leaned down to her, putting an ear to her muzzle.

"She's just unconscious."

"Hey you, wizard," Anvil used her most authoritative voice, "Know any healing magic or something?"

"M-maybe some basic stuff. I'm more a theoretical wizard than-"

"Then get to basic stuffing on both her and Astray here."

"I'm fin-"

"That's an order."

"As you wish, boss," Astray sat down next to Connie with his back against the wall.

While the unicorn was if not treating the wounds then at least alleviating the pain of the patients, Bubbles trotted out of the cellar, finished with her task.

"Zug zug."

"Well done," Anvil scratched her behind the ear, "Can you stay with the bodies to make sure nopony steals them while we wait here?"

"No problem," Bubbles saluted.

Standing in the doorway to have clear view of both the cellar and the hallway if needed, Anvil crossed her arms on her chest. There was so much she didn't know, so much she'd have to organize, and so much that would now depend on her, not temporarily anymore.

She would do her best...

...or yell at Astray long enough that he would do it.

Was she going mad with power already? She dismissed the silly thought with a chuckle.

She was used to fighting for her life, on her own, whether it be against the elements or wildlife. From now on, though, others would depend on her. Fear was something one couldn't let too close up north, else it would devour them, but here it was sneaking up on her.

On the other hand, she wasn't alone anymore.


	27. Truth: Mended Hearts

Contradiction allowed herself only a night's rest after dealing with the nonsense at the wizard school. The Royal Guards called by the mages had arrived, accompanied by a furious wizard, to arrest a group of intruders charged with the destruction of property. However, after being woken up by Anvil and explaining the whole story on the spot, all high-ranked unicorns gathered in the cellar to detain the interlopers had found themselves facing an offical paladin accompanied by a squad of Royal Guards now boiling with barely contained fury.

The stuck-up unicorns had killed one of them, and took her freedom and all her dignity. Nothing, NOTHING the wizards had to say had carried more weight than the words of four ragged, armed, bloody ruffians who were where they had no business being.

In the Canterlot Royal Hospital, where the staff had already been groaning after seeing the unpleasantly familiar group enter, they had been treated and allowed to rest over night. Of course, extensive interrogation followed the next morning, and Anvil, Connie, Astray, and Bubbles had pieced together the whole story about encounters with Black Shield and Secret Seeker they had told the official investigators led by Solid Steel, the head of the EIS, or eyes as they were unofficially called - the Equestrian Intelligence Service. Connie recalled the pony personally visiting Blaze back during the reformation of the Order, and knew that while the investigation might not be successful anyway, it wouldn't be tampered with by anypony anymore.

And so, the noon after the event, all four Order members under Anvil's lead entered Cromach's Manehattan office.

The griffon gave them an exhausted look as they entered one by one. He opened his beak to ask the dreaded question about Connie's fate when the unicorn came in last. His beak snapped shut, he vaulted over his desk, and in the same second reared on his hind legs before Connie, grabbed her by her barrel, and swept her into a tight hug.

"Hey, hey," the surprised unicorn could only pat Cromach's back with her forehooves, "Not in front of the kids."

Blushing Astray looked away from the spectacle, his eyes falling on Bubbles grinning from ear to ear. She caught his gaze and shuffled closer to his leg, both of them checking Anvil's reaction. The minotaur was standing at attention, stone-faced, but her eyes betrayed mild amusement and a ton of relief.

The joyful embrace eventually ended, and Connie finally stood on her own again. Clearing his throat after the display of affection, Cromach brushed an imaginary mote of dust from his shoulder to regain some sort of leadership aura, and sat behind his desk again.

"You know what? Screw this," he shook his head, "Do you want to tell me everything down in the cafeteria? I'm afraid there's only one chair here."

"Sounds like a good-"

Anvil was interrupted by Connie.

"I'd rather not. There is something important you need to hear about my recent... self-control problem. I was hesitant to talk about it in front of these guys before discussing it with you first, but they've proven to deserve to hear the raw, unedited version."

"What's going on?" asked Cromach, puzzled.

After a deep breath and a short pause to summarize the past events inside her head, she recapitulated what had happened since her leaving the mansion. Her idea of contacting the princess herself, the fight with Black Shield and Secret Seeker on the train, razing part of the mountain, and Harmony's mark on her.

"-I know it sounds like me making excuses for my behaviour, but everything I said is true, and I need help. Sir -no, Cromach- you are the only pony who can understand what happened to me."

"Are you asking me to forget about everything you did?" asked Cromach, not with hostility or blame, but with a tone probing like a scalpel.

Connie caught on the careful approach, and answered calmly:

"No, what I did will take time to atone for. As I told these guys before, I will not be returning as their leader. I need your help with controlling it. I still get angry for no reason sometimes, but it's easier to control now that I know what it is. That and, if possible, to use it like you are using Nightmare's power. I can sort of do something on instinct, but I would like to learn more."

Cromach sat there, watching her thoughtfully before snapping his talons.

"Ah hah! So that's why we broke the paralysis spell at Leo's mansion so quickly."

"Mhm," Connie nodded, "Should I continue my report?"

A meaningful clearing of throat made her stop and then correct herself:

"Or better yet, I should let Anvil present hers. We need to do things properly from now on. Mission leader, if you please?" Contradiction yielded the ground to the minotaur.

"Thank you. We arrived in lower Canterlot at-"

Anvil's report incorporated Contradiction's flight through the mine tunnels from the shambling horror, Arcane Hex helping Astray using forbidden magic which Cromach just waved off, not exactly bothered by the reasonable use of unexplored power, and her and Bubbles' part in the events in Canterlot. Cromach listened, asked for little details, all that while watching the group over a pyramid from his talons.

"- and now we are here, ready for whatever is next."

"Alright," Cromach stood up and saluted, "Great job, everypony. As per regulations, you three get a day off. Connie, I have a personal request for you, but that can wait after I'm done with them. The day off is tomorrow, and since nopony is counting on you for today due to technically still being on a mission, I guess you're free to do whatever you want. The day after tomorrow you'll of course be required to return to your usual training, this time under Anvil's supervision."

"Understood," the minotaur saluted, followed by the other two.

"Um, can I ask for something else?" requested Astray.

"What is it?"

"I would like to attend Black Shield's funeral in Canterlot. Her guard friends invited me because I was the last one to talk to her before she passed away. The funeral is in four days, and I might have to miss a day here to go."

"Permission granted."

"Actually," Connie joined in, remembering the smooshed note she'd have to grab from Bubbles' bag later, "I'd like to come too if you don't mind. And I'm officially requesting the new Hoof of Fate's assistance."

"Sure. Care to tell me why?"

"Later."

"Alright," Cromach shrugged, "We're not expecting any unnatural invasions soon, so I think I can allow it. Arrange things with Shadowstep first, though. The changelings are already busy as it is even without people skipping lessons unannounced."

"I'll take care about that," nodded Connie.

"Is that all?" asked Cromach. When everypony nodded, he stood up and gave them a quick bow, "Then congratulations on your first successful mission, Hoof of Fate. Now go have a long bath, you're making the wallpaper crinkle."

Leaving Connie and Crom alone, the trio could finally let out a relieved breath. They were home, and they were all in one piece.

The morning after, Cromach was forcing himself not to think about the missing rings and anything work-related, but it was too difficult. That was why he forgot to knock before entering Contradiction's suite.

In the next second, he had an excellent opportunity to examine a unremarkable pillow hovering an inch away from his face. After identifying a dark stain on it as drool, he pushed it aside. The pillow dropped on the floor, leaving Cromach facing Contradiction lying on her side on the bed with her hind legs spread and the bright glow of her telekinesis between them. The unicorn herself was staring at him like a rabbit facing an incoming truck.

Cromach cleared his throat to break the silence. That seemed to wake Connie up from her stupor, and the griffon watched the entirety of her toy slide out of her with honest amazement, newfound curiosity, and shock, mostly shock. Was she training for _dragons_ or something?

"Ehm, that's, eerm, quite something," he commented, watching the dripping replica hovering next to the dumbfounded mare, "I, umm, couldn't take that myself. Uh, props to you."

"Hahahahaha," Connie finally stuttered out, laughing like a short-circuiting robot. The source of her shame blurred as it shot behind her and through the window, the closed window, "W-w-w-what brings you here, hehehe?"

"Well, I-"

The sound of steel grinding on stone came from outside, and both of them turned towards the broken window where two rusty clawed legs appeared, followed by a happily grinning muzzle holding Connie's instrument. Of course Bubbles would be up in the late morning, playing outside with the trainees and pouncing on a thrown stick-shaped object.

The demoness saluted with one foreleg, hanging on the windowsil by her remaining one, and spat the toy back inside the room.

"Jiggle stick tastes funny. Weird, but good weird," she said thoughtfully, not bothered at all by hanging outside of the third floor window.

"Shoo, shoo," Connie waved at her.

Cromach coughed.

"What Connie means is that this is a private conversation, and that she thanks you for returning her... belongings, but wants you to leave the two of us alone for now."

"Of course, mister Cromach!" Bubbles saluted again. Unfortunately, with her one foreleg still saluting to miss Connie currently trembling in embarrassment, she opted to use the other one for Cromach to completely cover all her superiors, "Whaaaaaaaaa!"

She was lovable, but not the smartest in a crisis.

*Thud!*

"Imokay!" came her weak, dazed voice from outside.

Awkward silence returned.

"So..." Cromach broke it.

"YES?" Connie twitched, finally slamming her hind legs together.

"Sorry for barging in like that. I can come later, if this isn't a good time. I think you were, uhm, busy."

The only thing Connie could do was whimper and hide her face with her forelegs.

"Dammit," she mumbled, "I'm an idiot."

Cromach really wanted to just sit down next to her and wrap his foreleg around her, but touching a mare in a vulnerable moment like this, especially one with mental power enhanced by a god, could mean him losing it. He knew he wasn't exactly a smooth talker, rather a dirty one, so he decided to face things like a stallion should - head on.

"I thought about what you said back at the hospital. I thought about it a lot. Then I thought about what I said, and I stand by it even after all that's happened. Would you still like to go out with me on a date or two... or more?"

Connie slowly raised her head, lowered her forelegs, and her jaw dropped. It took her a moment of silently opening and closing her mouth to process the question. This had to be a dream. She still had to be under some rock of the avalanche and her head was playing tricks on her to ignore being crushed to death. In the hospital, Cromach had been so drugged he could barely talk and she'd just fought off an unknown invader.

This wasn't real.

"I thought..." her shaky voice was so weak even she had trouble hearing it, "I thought that was just the morphine talking."

Walking closer, Crom sat down on his haunches to look Connie sitting on the bed eye to eye.

"I'm not promising anything, but I want to try. I stand by what I said before. As Blaze used to say - a stallions' worth is measured by the worth of his word. If it has none, he is nothing," Cromach facetaloned, realizing what he'd just said. Because, you know, talking about one's ex-lover in front of a possible new one is the best idea ever, "Sorry. Me and my big mouth..."

"Look, I know you're not over him and maybe you'll never be," Connie ran her hoof over Cromach's cheek, "and I'm fine with it right now. I'd like try things out too, maybe walk around, see a movie, have a lunch that isn't work related for once. Test the waters. Who knows?" she chuckled nervously, "Maybe we'll find out we don't fit together and we'll both be free to wallow in our own brand of misery, right?"

"Always the optimist, Connie," Crom stood up, taking her hoof into his talons and gripping it tightly, "Got any idea when?"

"Why not tonight?" Connie shrugged, then sniffed the air and scrunched her muzzle at the smell of sweat and 'other things' lingering around, "Just let me take a shower first."

"Great idea. Let's start with a totally not work-related lunch then, shall we?"

"So, at noon by the main gate? Let's see where it takes us. Don't be late," Connie stuck her tongue out at him.

"I won't fail you," said the griffon, standing up and leaving.

Alone, Connie looked at the mess around. Broken window, sex toys lying on the floor, remains of yesterday's dinner, clothes strewn all over the place...

With a heavy sigh, she stood up and things started flying around her, guided by her horn.

" _You_ fail me?" she asked the empty room, "That one's the last on my list. My long, long list."

"-and then she was like - dear ambassador, if you wish we can continue this negotiation in my bedchambers later. I have many more documents and resources for you to check out with your own talons. That, right in front of her husband," Cromach chuckled, seeing Connie eagerly listening to him recounting some diplomatic ball in the Griffon Empire, "Thankfully, the table was in the way of what she was trying to do with her paws under it. I've never been more afraid of becoming a female, because the damn chick couldn't control her claws after few drinks."

Connie took a sip of her tea. She kept track of the whole story and could easily understand how a mature griffon noble would gladly throw her elderly mate under a train for a hunk like Crom. Especially when he was a part of the Black Ops and technically an Equestrian noble as well.

"Did you agree to her diplomatic offer?"

"No. Thankfully, her plotkissing remained only figurative. I have no problem with more mature females, but Redtalons have a certain reputation within the Empire. They aren't too rich or powerful, but bloodlust and good memory are their traits that stand out. Being hunted by assassins once taught me to avoid situations that might cause it again. However, I worked my charm on her enough so that she persuaded her husband to open trading with Crystal Empire wineries and try to cultivate crystal berries. I doubt the damn things grow anywhere without freezing cold, but that's not exactly my business. Anyway, Vargaz was happy the Empire now had a communication channel with the north and the Black Ops paid a hefty sum Heavy and I used to make the mansion into a more comfortable place. Blaze was against it, saying we should focus on necessities like sorting out the debt to the princesses, but at that point we had some steady cash flow from the first recruits and we outvoted him."

"I wonder what that mare... mare? How did you say griffons called their females?"

"Chicks."

"I wonder what that chick would think about you now," she nodded towards Crom.

"What do you mean?"

"You look like you belong into a sarcophagus more than at some ball of nobility," she gave him a victorious smile.

Indeed, Cromach's wounds were healing rapidly and the only remains of his nearly fatal mistake were some scars which kept fading with each passing day, but the Order healers had trouble using restorative magic on him so they insisted on applying fresh bandages whenever necessary, or completely unnecessary. Cromach leaned towards the latter.

"Hmph, I doubt that," he shrugged, "Griffons, especially high nobility, see battle scars as a mark of status. We care deeply about our crippled and heavily wounded even after they cannot serve the Empire anymore. They are given safe jobs and the respect they deserve. I'm pretty sure that if she saw me like this she would melt in her chair. Speaking of mummies, you're one to talk."

Of course, after her recent experiences, Connie didn't look better. In her case, though, despite the healing magic working, it would take a good week or two to be at her full power. She preferred to think of herself as a Hearth's Warming present wrapped a little too early, though.

"Yeah, we're two handicapped on a date," Connie stuck her tongue out at him, "And I'm loving the fact that I can finally have a breather."

After the morning when _totally nothing weird had happened_ , the two had met as promised and went on a short walk into Manehattan which had ended in this corner cafe, one of the hundreds spread around the metropolis. A walk, a good conversation, something resembling late breakfast more than lunch...

...Connie's day couldn't be better even if she had planned it before.

"I agree," Crom nodded, "Things haven't been this calm since Leo and Fortune's engagement."

"Yeah," Connie laughed, "Can I take us both being touched by gods and kicking some serious ass that evening as a sign that we should take this to the next level...?"

Her voice slowed down as the gears in her head started spinning. Now that she had a clue as to why the paralysis spell broke so early for both of them, something else _stopped_ making sense completely.

Seeing her suddenly blank expression, Cromach snapped his talons.

"Is anything wrong?"

"You and I got set free by Nightmare's divinity in you and Harmony's in me, right?"

"That's the current theory, yes."

"And we have only a very small amount of their power, right?"

"That is true for you. From what little research Blaze and princess Luna did on me, I seem to possess a lot more. Where are you going with this?"

"Why did the princesses stay frozen the longest?"

"What?"

"The witnesses said that after we left the mansion chasing Black Shield and Secret Seeker, the princesses took the longest to break the spell. The DAMN alicorns!"

Cromach sat there, beak open.

"Maybe... maybe the spell was tailored specifically for them?" he took a wild guess, "To be honest, I know next to nothing about magic."

Shaking her head, Connie continued:

"Before the three rookies and I left Canterlot, I asked the Royal Guards for their file on Secret Seeker which was mostly a copy of his file from the wizard school. According to it, Secret Seeker was just an average no name. There's no way a mid-tier mage would be able to craft such spell, not to mention even getting the information about an event like Leo's ceremony happening. On top of that, and I know a bit about magic because I tried so hard to squeeze at least _something_ out of myself before finding out nothing would ever help me, I know that creating a flesh golem, and one with living soul bound to it on top, is insanely advanced magic. Contingency spells are the same thing. Secret Seeker used all that at once, and he seemed to unlock the regenerative power of both rings."

"You think somepony forged Seeker's school file?"

"Exactly. Unfortunately, if the file is fake, then we won't find a connection to anypony in it. Asking every single pony inside the school and those outside who might have taken classes with him ten years ago is impossible."

"However, Seeker still had access to the school, and if he unlocked the rings' power then he had to have access to all the equipment and likely a lot of bits."

Connie nodded.

"I think somepony used him. Seeker was clearly powerful and intelligent, and somepony must have given him resources for his research."

"And when Seeker got compromised and looked for help that pony finished him off and now has the rings as well," Cromach's talons drummed on the table, "There were I think three or four wizards at the ceremony, all invited by princess Celestia herself. The only one I recall was Arcane Hex, though. He offered to help me measure and control my divine power. He was also the one who cleared the undead Seeker summoned en masse."

"And his spell was so strong it stopped Black Shield from slitting my throat even outside. Alright, the first name on the list."

"Hmm, any idea how to find the others?"

"Leo and Fortune must have the complete guest list. If you don't mind, I'd like to have a chat with them. The sooner the better."

"Damn it," Cromach sighed, "I really, really wanted this not to turn into work."

Leaning across the table, Connie took his talons into her hooves.

"I enjoyed every second, si- Cromach, but I think I'll enjoy beating the everliving hay out of whoever is behind all this just as much. Mind if I leave tonight?"

Cromach shook his head.

"Don't rush this time. You and Astray wanted to attend Black Shield's funeral in few days. In the meantime, you might think of something else you want to check."

Taking a long breath in and out, Connie smiled.

"You're right. Too much running around almost got all of us killed far too many times. That, and I'd hate to cut our date short."

"I'd regret that. Definitely."

"Good, let's ditch this place and go somewhere we can sit a bit closer to each other."

"The western park plaza sounds good."

"I was thinking maybe," she leaned over and whispered to his ear, "a dark cinema, possibly playing something to get in the right mood."

"Did I ever tell you a story about this young mare who rushed things too often and got spanked for it?"

"Maybe the mare like being spanked..." she gave him a lidded gaze.

"Connie."

She pursed her mouth, leaned even closer, and...

...stuck her tongue out at him.

"Just kidding, just kidding. You'll have to get used to me saying things like that, though, 'cause I don't intend to stop any time soon."

"Don't worry," Cromach raised his eyebrow, "I'll just have to buy a bigger paddle to spank you with."

"Whu- huh?"

"Two can play that game, Connie, and I'm the one with more experience."

The unicorn grinned.

"Never underestimate a mare with her mind set on tomething. I'll strike like a cobra, and you... you'll blush so hard the firefighters will issue a city-wide alarm."

"You're on, missy!"


	28. Truth: New Clue

Later that afternoon, Connie was taking a lazy stroll through the mansion grounds, watching the practicing recruits. To her surprise, on the lawn across the main road, she saw three figures who by all means should not be there today. Anvil noticed her and stood to attention, quickly followed by Astray and Bubbles. Three more ponies, two unicorns and a pegasus, saluted her as well.

"I wasn't expecting to see you around on your day off," Connie approached, "Much less... what is this, squad combat training?"

"Yes, ma'am," nodded Anvil, "This afternoon was the only time I could schedule it for and both Anvil and Bubbles agreed with taking an evening off tomorrow."

"Yeah," Astray sighed, "I'll have to somehow explain that to master Antares later."

"Mind if I observe your practice?"

"No problem," Astray shrugged, supported by nodding Bubbles.

"Actually," Anvil hesitated.

"It's fine if you don't-"

"Actually," the minotaur continued, "I would like your opinion on my prepared tactic. I realize my lack of experience leaves a lot to be desired, and running straight at the enemy while screaming my lungs off is not optimal."

"Everypony, are your hooves cold?" Connie looked around.

"No, why?" answered Bubbles, examining her forehooves shoved almost into her muzzle.

"Because I think Tartarus just froze over."

"Very amusing," huffed Anvil, "I suppose I shouldn't have expected anything different."

"Alright, alright," Connie raised her hoof in apology, "What did you come up with?"

"We know one of them is a specialized mage, one is a battlemage, and one is a close combat fighter. As usual, Bubbles should flank and take the wizard out while I roll over them. Astray stays behind with a prepared pistol in case the mage uses some disabling magic on Bubbles, then supports her while she's out of action."

Connie rubbed her chin.

"I see the logic behind it, but you're still operating under the assumption that every wizard is Secret Seeker or Starlight. Spells that completely disable a target are difficult, slow to cast, and drain a lot of power. My suggestion is to trust Bubbles to do well on her own while you go in. Your own weakness is far more crippling - flying weapons. Astray should straight up cover your ass from those, your massive, round, bountiful, beautiful ass," she winked not-secretly-at-all at Astray, "You know you want to."

Taking a step backwards, she got ready for Astray's stuttering apology and Anvil smacking him in the head.

Nothing like that happened.

Astray _did_ twitch at the words, but Anvil remained silent, thoughtful, eyes looking nowhere.

"Anvil?" asked the satyr.

"I was thinking about the combat!" the minotaur burst out, "ONLY about the fight. Nothing else. At all."

Contradiction's eyes bulged, darting from Anvil to Astray.

"Even HER? Really?"

"Even her what?!" Anvil gave her a fiery stare, "Enough chatting, let's ruin somepony's day! We'll do what she suggested."

Grinning, Connie sat down in the shade of the nearby tree, watching both teams square off against each other. The fighting part of Anvil and Astray against the earthpony and unicorn was fairly even, which was a definite nod to how much they've grown in the short time since joining the Order. However, Bubbles made the practice incredibly skewed, easily dodging every offensive spell and shrugging off common disabling magic. The recruit wizard simply didn't have enough power to deal with the demoness, and the resulting three versus two ended far too fast.

"Can I suggest something?" asked Connie after the massacre.

"What is it?" Anvil gulped down some water from her bottle.

"Stop training against the normies, there's no point other than mechanical weapon practice which Cross can do far better. The three of you should, from now on, practice only against Shadowstep's squad or other Order veterans like Bright Star."

"I'll think about that," the minotaur answered, "Thank you for the input."

"Anytime."

Having no idea whether Anvil would ever actually willingly seek Contradiction's help or not, the unicorn left the trio talking to the enemy team, and returned to thinking about today's date. Perhaps things would go her way for once?

Chuckling, she chided herself for the baseless optimism. She could still hope, though, couldn't she?

Astray didn't know how a cemetery in upper Canterlot worked due to the lack of soil and space in general, but when the burial ceremony started all questions evaporated from his head. The patch of land just by the walls separating castle proper from the main city was filled with thin gravestones. From what he'd seen so far, deceased Royal Guards did get their own plot, but their name was simply added onto a tall, thin glowing pyramid-like monument made of glass enchanted to bear the guards' names and cycle between 'pages' of names in a minute intervals. Now, though, there was only one name written in tall, glowing teal letters - Black Shield.

There weren't many ponies attending, but Astray knew the ones who were there would make Shield proud. With the help of a guardsmare called Petal who had come immediately after Astray asked for somepony who knew Shield, he had managed to spread the semi-true story about Shield's demise and vindication. However, he knew that without the help of the pony currently taking the stage to give a short speech it would have been impossible.

The satyr had been shocked that princess Celestia remembered him, and much more that she herself had polished his witness of all the events and spread the word.

Originally, only he and Connie were supposed to be here, but for some reason she had requested the presence of both Bubbles and Anvil. Not that he minded, their presence gave Shield's funeral somewhat more official look. A short distance away from the group stood Petal herself, accompanied by an official looking Royal Guard who had to be Shield's commanding officer and two ponies who had to be Shield's parents - a small grey pegasus mare and a well-built brown earthpony. Of course, the pony currently stealing the spotlight was the solar princess herself:

"My little ponies," the princess began, "I wish I could see all of you under better circumstances, but I am happy you made it on such short notice. We are here to pay our respects to one of us, to a hero who had, despite being hit by misfortune we can barely even imagine, never lost herself and eventually brought her murderer to justice. Black Shield, this young, blooming mare was taken from us by a unicorn whose name I am not going to utter here not to tarnish this moment, and yet, after losing her freedom, she never lost her will or desire to protect those she swore to keep safe. After hearing the whole story from those who helped Black Shield get rid of her burden, I award her the status of an honorary paladin. She had gone through a test worthy of the best of the best, and passed with flying colours," Celestia's horn glowed, and the evening sun rose up just enough to bathe the cemetery in golden light, "Rest in peace, Black Shield. You have earned it thousandfold."

When princess Celestia left the small podium, a coffin with Black Shield's body brought from the caverns by Bubbles was lowered into the hole. After a moment of silence broken only by sniffling of Shield's parents, Astray heard hoofsteps and somepony nudged him. It was Petal, Shield's friend.

"Thank you for not telling her folks the whole story," she said quietly, "This way they'll remember her just as a hero, not a criminal. And one more thing," she wiped her eyes, "The night Shield died... it was me who was supposed to go check the disturbance out. If she didn't take it instead of me, then..."

Hanging her head, Petal walked away. Astray wanted to say something comforting, but in truth he had nothing.

"Astray," Contradiction returned to the satyr sitting in silence on a bench from her chat with Shield's commanding officer.

"Hmm?"

"I confirmed your report with the guard. The whole thing really was reported by Arcane Hex."

"Yeah."

"His name is appearing far too much to be a simple coincidence. I have a clue to check out here in Canterlot."

"A clue?"

"You know the best that Shield found a way to confuse Seeker's control spell. She left me a note with an address. At first I thought it was a trap of sorts, but after what you said she did when we left you two alone... I think it might be important."

"I'm in... if Anvil's okay with it, I mean."

"That's why I called her and Bubbles here as well. Take as long as you need here, then meet us by the main gate."

"I'll be out soon. Just... a minute or two."

"We'll wait."

"Here we go," Connie double-checked the near-destroyed piece of paper, "Two Hazel Street. Third floor, I guess?" she looked upwards at the mountainside apartment complex. This part of Canterlot hosted the less-blessed population, and the pristine white buildings had given way to peeling paint and solitary ponies returning from their long shifts a while ago.

"Can we just barge in?" asked Anvil.

"Oh we definitely _can_ ," Connie chuckled, "but I'd like to avoid that. Let's see what Shield left for us."

After nearly giving the landlord a heart attack, they were let inside the building. Anvil was an excellent universal key even when she didn't use force directly.

"W-w-what do you want?" the chubby unicorn was so shocked by the unusual group that he completely forgot all politeness and diplomacy.

Connie flashed him her Silver Sun badge.

"Official investigation regarding a murdered Royal Guard. We would like to know who lives on the third floor of this building."

"Umm, I, well, give me a moment," the pony darted back into the first door in the hall. A moment later he returned with a binder levitating next to him, "Night Aegis, a batpony. I think he works in the castle or something. We don't allow any overnight visits here so it's a single pony per apartment. Puffcakes, a zebra baker. She's got a plot to die for even for her age. Crush, an earthpony. I think he's a bouncer at some bar. Shift, a changeling. I don't really hold with bugs being around, but as long as she pays the bills I can tolerate her. She dances in a club by the west gate, Red Lust was the name, I think. Then there's Secret Seeker, a unicorn wizard. He doesn't socialize with the others much, but he's never caused any trouble and he pays on time, which is something I can't say about all unicorns that live here. Last, there is-"

"Thank you for the information. We would like to visit Secret Seeker's apartment."

"How about some official document? You come here, flashing some sort of a badge that might or might not be real-"

"Secret Seeker is the guy who murdered the Royal Guard I mentioned," Connie shot him down instantly, "He is dead."

"Hnnngh!" the unicorn started sweating and breathing as if running a marathon. He recovered after a moment, trembling down to his horseshoes, "I- I have to come with."

"Of course," she gave him a pleasant smile, "Any assistance by a law-abiding citizen is appreciated."

"Me no break anytink?" rumbled Anvil.

"AAAAAAAAH!" the unicorn tossed a key to Contradiction and slammed the door to his apartment shut.

Astray bit his lip to stop the incoming fit of laughter. Bubbles was grinning so wide at the wall the wallpaper shook in horror. Anvil just raised an eyebrow while giving Connie a smirk so smug even Discord would clap.

Few staircases later, the group unlocked the door of Secret Seeker's supposed apartment and turned the light on.

The apartment was neat, simple, and spartan with the only exception being shelves of books everywhere.

"Basics of unicorn telekinesis," Connie read few titles at random, "Necromancy for Beginners. Digging and You: Shovels for dummies," she left that particular shelf alone, "That doesn't really seem too advanced," the other shelves yielded something more interesting, "Essence of Soul. Sanguine Sacrifice," she flipped few pages, "Ooookay, that's WAY over my head," her eyes fell on a more familiar title, "Elemental Chants, now that's something you don't just borrow from a library."

"I can smell Black Shield all over the place, especially in the bedroom," Bubbles returned from her sniffing trip, "There was a book on the carpet where the smell is the strongest. It's called - Elemental Understanding of Magic: A non-unicorn guide."

Connie nodded. It made sense now. The simple books were for Shield. After all, Seeker couldn't just deactivate her or force her to sleep whenever not needed, that would make her mind deteriorate, resulting in a simple, useless golem. So, Seeker gave her something to read from the library of School for Gifted Unicorns, probably. Perhaps she should check the simple books for some library stamps?

Nah, no reason.

So, Shield had provided her with the location of Secret Seeker's home. Was that all? Connie couldn't shake off then nagging feeling that Shield wouldn't lead her here just for that. It was possible, though. At that point in time, even a clue like Seeker's apartment would have been a blessing.

"Oh crap?" she heard Astray's voice from the bedroom, "Contradiction, can you come here? I think you were right."

"What is it?" the unicorn walked over, "Ohhhh... the coincidences are just piling up, aren't they?"

In his hand, Astray was holding a photo of two ponies - Secret Seeker and Arcane Hex. In its corner, a message was written, reading:

 _"To my best and brightest student - may your thirst for knowledge never be sated."_

"Do you really think mister Hex is behind this? He was so friendly and he helped me find you in the mines," Astray said hesitantly.

"More like - led you right to Black Shield alone, how about that?"

Astray hadn't looked at the event from that side. Could Arcane Hex have been trying to kill him? But everything that had happened was Astray's doing. Hex hadn't wanted to use the spell, it had been Astray who insisted.

"I still doubt that," the satyr shook his head, "All this feels too... lucky."

"Even the best of us can be sentimental and make mistakes," Connie levitated the photo from Astray's grasp, then shoved it inside her saddlebag, "Just in case. I wouldn't like somepony messing with our memories just like the wizards said."

Five minutes later, the group were done with the apartment. There were books of the darkest and the most complicated sort, and that was pretty much it. Finally standing in the growing darkness outside after returning the key to the terrified landlord, Connie came to a decision.

"Anvil, I know this is your decision, but I'd like to request Bubbles' assitance."

"Oh?" the demoness perked up, feeling a little more useful.

"What do you need?" asked Anvil.

"I need somepony to keep tabs on Arcane Hex."

"I know where his quarters are inside the School," volunteered Astray.

"You also stick out like a sore hoof, same goes for Anvil. On top of that, I have no doubts Hex lives in some tall tower, and Bubbles can actually climb without risking death. She also looks mostly like a pony so that if somepony spots her she can just say she's a chimney sweep or something."

"I'm against sending one of us somewhere alone, it has yet to end well," Anvil crossed her arms on her chest, "But I guess this isn't exactly our official mission, rather us assisting you. So, Bubbles, what do you say?"

The demoness looked at each hesitant pony before forcing a stern and serious expression.

"I'll do it! I have to learn more than just chase and catch. I don't mind heights either."

"There you have it," Anvil shrugged. There was a hidden, worried undertone in her voice.

"Alright," Connie returned to her commanding voice, "We'll be staying in Canterlot tonight, so after Astray shows Bubbles where to go, you two are free to do whatever you want. I'll be sleeping in Cromach's office in the castle so you can find me there in case anything happens. I'll figure out what to do next by tomorrow, I hope."

"What should I look for?" asked Bubbles.

"I have honestly no idea. Just stay as close as you can, listen and observe. Maybe you'll get lucky and hear something about the rings or... I really don't know."

"I'll be like a ninja from the comic books. Unheard, unseen, all-seeing, awesome," Bubbles' grin grew.

This was going to be so much fun.

"Hey, Astray," Anvil pulled the satyr away from the two before they split up, "When you're done, how about you meet me in the tavern we passed on the way from the funeral here? The Thirsty Traveller, was it?"

"Mhm," he nodded, "Sure. It'll be cheaper to get a room for two for the night."

"Yeah, exactly," she patted his back.


	29. Truth: Trio

The white city would be shrouded in darkness were it not for the abundance of street lamps and lights cast by every building, every high spire, and even the lanterns of pegasi flying above. Entire Canterlot looked like a brightly burning torch visible from most of Equestria on this clear late summer night.

Astray couldn't help thinking about Bubbles he'd dropped off near the School for Gifted Unicorns. The demoness had started climbing the walls immediately after Astray showing her the correct tower, seemingly unbothered by the fact that in just few minutes she was so high she could easily see the city walls. When he'd finally left, hoping nopony would notice the scars Bubbles' claws left in the walls, the happily climbing mare was just a little dot high up above him.

Now, the night was already in full swing, and he saw next to the entrance to the Thirsty Traveller the dark towering silhouette of Anvil outlined against light cast from the ground floor windows.

"Hi," he waved at the minotaur who nodded in response.

"How was it?"

"My stomach revolved just from standing on the ground and watching her, but she seemed to be having fun. It's refreshing to see somepony as carefree as she is."

"Yeah, she just brings smile to one's face," Anvil looked into the darkness for a second, faint smile on her muzzle, "Let's go in. I think I might have scared off some potential customers by standing here so let's repay the owner a little."

"Heh, I didn't bring much gold with me, mostly just something for the night and the tickets back to Manehattan. A beer or two wouldn't go amiss after today, though."

"Definitely."

A wave of complete silence spread over the bar as eating or drinking patrons gradually noticed the entering 'giants'. Alcohol is a powerful social lubricant, however, and conversations restarted soon after Anvil waved at the bartender and pointed to the nearest free table where she sat down. The wooden chair creaked dangerously under her weight, but it was obvious that the innkeeper was used to at least griffon visitors because it was wide enough for Anvil to eventually ease herself onto it with some comfort.

"What'll it be, bigguns?" asked a grey earthpony waitress wearing an apron which had to be white at one point of history.

"Beer and," Anvil sniffed the air and licked her muzzle, "is that grilled cheese with herbs I can smell, the Crystal Empire recipe?"

"Indeed it is," the waitress gave her a wide smile, "Now that's a nose that would put a diamond dog to shame."

"It's one of the first southern treats I've ever had, and it's to die for."

"Southern recip- aaaah, I see. You're from the frozen north, right?"

"Exactly."

"So, that's one beer and grilled cheese. And for you, sir?" she turned to Astray.

"The same. If she says something is good then it must be top notch."

"Alright, doubles," the waitress flashed them both a friendly smile and left.

"I hope there's a lot of it. I could eat whole bucket, wood included," Astray stretched his legs. Today had been a lot of walking or standing up and he was happy to finally take a break.

"Actually, it's rather light," explained Anvil, "More a snack than a meal."

"Awwww..."

Anvil quietly stared at the satyr. Astray requited the attention, and soon realized that while she was looking straight at him, her mind was somewhere else entirely. Not wanting to bother her, he looked around. The wide open room was filled with golden light of bulbs spread around the ceiling. A burning fireplace crackled in the corner as a safeguard against the night's cold. Astray hadn't noticed before, but while the night in Manehattan was warm at this time of year, Canterlot went fairly chilly after dark.

"Two beers," he heard a cheery voice, realizing he completely missed the approaching waitress, "The food will be here in few minutes. It's a bit of a rush tonight."

"No problem, thank you," Astray nodded. Then he turned to Anvil who carefully examined her beer. It felt to him like she wanted to say something but was hesitant for some reason. Maybe it was about the case and she still needed to sort things out inside her head before preseting them to him? "Is something wrong?"

Anvil downed her entire mug of beer in one go.

"Bring another one, will you?" she told the shocked waitress.

"Oh, ehm, well, yes, of course," the mare rushed off.

"Thirsty?" Astray raised an eyebrow. It was a move he'd learned from Cromach and Contradiction who used it in abundance. It clearly relayed that the question asked wasn't the real question, and that any topic the target would like to talk about was welcome.

Anvil looked from side to side, as if checking for somepony following her. Satisfied, she leaned closer to the satyr, closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and then opened them.

"Alright, Astray, don't read too much into what I'm about to say, okay?"

"Uhhh, sure?"

"You know what I think about you, right?"

"You haven't missed an opportunity to tell me, yes," Astray nodded, "Although I've gotten some mixed signals recently."

"Well, you're wrong!"

"About the good part or the bad part? I'm really confused here."

"Can you shut up and let me talk? This is difficult for me as it is," Anvil took her fresh beer from the arriving waitress and this time just sipped it before putting the mug down, "Ehm, I was wrong... partially. I thought you didn't belong with us. You're not strong and you will never match me, Bubbles, or Contradiction. But... I learned strength comes in more forms than I thought. You possess... one tiny fraction of the many facets of strength. Bubbles told me I wasn't really cold and hard, and I wanted to prove her wrong. I was worried that would only be showing weakness to those I can't completely trust. And... I still don't trust her, I can't read her, and I don't know what she'll do under pressure. I don't trust Contradiction in the same way to keep her cool when needed. The only four Order members I think I can trust are Cross and Shadowstep due to their infinitely greater amount of experience, Cromach because... because I just feel I can put my life into his talons and... well... you. You might not be poweful, but for what it's worth if worst comes to the worst I want you to have my back more than Bubbles or Contradiction."

Astray's growing shock during Anvil's monologue was reflected in his opening eyes and mouth. Never in a million years would he expect the thing bothering Anvil to be her possible _respect_ for him.

"I... I don't know what to say other than thank you," he stuttered out, "I know I leave a lot to be desired but I'll do my best to fill those gaps and be a worthwhile member of the team."

Anvil clicked her tongue, frowning.

"That wasn't exactly what I was trying to say..." she drummed her fingers on the table while taking a swig out of her mug again, "I mean... I've always said you ponies were too emotional, and that's completely true, but Bubbles said I should try it at least once so... here it goes. You aren't right in the head, Astray. No one who wants himself to be harmed is. But that makes you easy to figure out and read. However, you'd refuse to hurt a fly unless absolutely necessary, which I disagree with as well. You need to be hard when the situation requires it. On the other hand, you talking to Black Shield instead of stabbing her was... stupid, yes, but somehow inspiring, I guess? What I'm trying to say is that while I might disagree with your approach sometimes, I will respect it in the future and take it into consideration instead of dismissing it."

Astray still got the feeling that Anvil was avoiding the real subject she wanted to talk about, because this time she'd just said a similar thing as before, only with a little more detail. However, it was still... a new and unusual feeling to be appreciated. Bubbles was different. She wanted simple things anypony could provide and Astray was just in the right place at the right time, but Anvil's... trust was something to be earned. He would have never expected to reach that level. After all, his highest goal had always been to be good enough to take a blow for somepony better...

...and that was exactly what was holding him back, as Anvil had just said.

However, in the same way she accepted that he wasn't _only_ a sum of his flaws, he should finally do the same thing. He couldn't just ignore them, though.

"I'm glad you believe in me, Anvil, I really am, but there is a long way ahead of me before I become somepony I myself can... be in peace with, if ever. Now that I have at least a little perspective I must admit to myself that the reason I wouldn't hurt anypony wasn't because I was good or anything, but because, as you said, I wanted to be hurt myself. I don't know how to be different, honestly. It took sir Cromach and you to make me at least think about trying, though. Namely your... well, massages."

Anvil blinked, a corner of her mouth curling up.

"How come?"

"Uhm, this is going to sound weird."

"I am a minotaur currently talking about her feelings. You don't get stranger than that."

"So, here goes... I never thought somepony would willingly touch a broken monster like me in a good way. I've had plenty of physical contact, and I hated almost all of it," Astray looked up from his beer, catching Anvil biting her lip. He grabbed her big hand with his both, "Look, what is all this really about? I'm truly happy you consider me worth talking to, but I feel that's not what you want to say."

She recoiled and sighed.

"Alright. I know you've been staring at me while I strutted around naked. You are at that age. I was the same some ten years ago. Before Rift was founded, I forced minotaurs half of your age to service me in the middle of the camp while other watched. Of course, warriors used me like a rag in turn whenever they wanted. That is the life between minotaurs, at least its... carnal portion. So... I've had a dry spell since leaving the north and you're the closest thing to a minotaur I've met whom I wouldn't have to force into anything."

Now it was Astray's turn to chug the rest of his beer in one go. This was _impossible_. Straight up. The beer had to be too strong, that was the only explanation. He was currently passed out and frothing at the mouth while Anvil carried him off to bed. This wasn't what was really happening.

"But me and Bubbles..." was all he could mutter in his shock.

"Bubbles loves you, as much as the little thing is capable of, I don't. I just trust you enough not to take advantage of me if I allow you to... be practical about our natural needs. Not that you could FORCE me into anything even in a good position for you, but I'd prefer avoiding unnecessary defensive violence."

"Another beer?" asked the waitress passing by. Astray, currently frozen in such unfortunate position that left him glaring straight into Anvil's abundant cleavage, was unable to answer.

"Yeah, bring him another," Anvil nodded.

"Is he okay?"

"I think I might have broken a life's worth perception of reality," the minotaur waved the earthpony off, "He'll be alright after another beer or two... or ten."

"AAH!" Astray unfroze after a while, realizing where he was staring and turning his head away. Anvil just chuckled to herself. The satyr gave her a careful and thoughtful look, "Look, I've told you already how ponies treated me before I joined the Order. I don't know if I can ever look at sex like a normal consensual thing, but I guess we're in a similar boat about it. Anyway, you told me over and over I wasn't a real stallion to you."

Anvil smacked the table.

"I was wrong, all right? This entire chat is about how wrong I've been about so many things and how I'm risking looking stupid and weak at the moment. Anyway, I'm not romantically interested in you, I'm just offering a mutually beneficial physical agreement. You can have all your emotional stuff with Bubbles or whoever else you want. So, you in?"

Contrary to the angry tone, Anvil still looked apprehensive and flustered. Once again, Astray came to the conclusion that he was overthinking the situation. If he wasn't available, Anvil would just visit a brothel eventually. If he wasn't good enough, nothing would change. If he somehow turned out to be worth her time...

Despite his experiences, a nearly ten years older minotaur was interested in him. Then he realized the truth about his past - he'd been forced to learn to give pleasure and used over and over. Nopony would use him repeatedly if he wasn't worth it. Perhaps he could, as they say, use his powers for good?

Maybe, just maybe, the past was only something to learn from, not something that would haunt him for the rest of his short, miserable life.

"Let's, umm, give it a shot," offered Astray.

"Good. Now you know why I wanted a lighter dinner."

"You planned on me agreeing?"

"Could somepony refuse _this_?" she leaned back in the chair and stretched.

Astray shook his head, letting out a short laugh.

"I guess you're right."

"Grilled cheese with crystal berries, twelve herbs and spices. Twice," the waitress' cheery voice cut through the already much more light-hearted mood than before. Leaning her back in a practiced way to make the platter slide on the table while putting the other one balanced on her foreleg in front of Anvil, she delivered the entire order, "Bon appetit!"

"She's pretty smart for a tavern helping hoof," commented Anvil.

"By now, the two of us should know best that appearances might be decieving," Astray dug into the white wheel of drippy cheese covered in greenery. With the next breath, beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. He wheezed, "Spicy..."

"You'll get used to it."

After the quick snack and a short chat, Anvil rented a room upstairs for tonight.

Astray learned that a forceful touch didn't have to be only bad, and Anvil was introduced to the experience of somepony who had the knowledge of how to pleasure others kicked and beaten into him. Neither of them regretted it.

Some time later, Anvil ran her hand over Astray's sweaty, heaving chest.

"Only two hours? We'll have to work on that."

Astray, gasping for breath, just gave her a wide-eyed stare. Anvil laughed and continued:

"What? Stamina comes with practice. It's just like any other training."

"I'm... gonna... die..." the satyr croaked.

Then his world shattered but, thankfully, his pelvis did not.

While Anvil was busy making both Astray and the bed scream for mercy, Contradiction was pacing around Cromach's office in Canterlot castle. Something felt off, wrong. Not only did she have zero clue how to find a new trace of the rings, but after listening to the report of the Royal Guards currently investigating within the ranks of high wizardry she was getting the idea that whoever had outsmarted the Royal Guard once would be successful again.

Inside her head, she turned back to the only Royal Guard who had one-upped the mages before - Black Shield.

"Seek Mystery. Two Hazel street three, filly," she muttered to herself, "Name, address... and?"

The "filly" part of the note seemed out of place. Granted, the meaning might have been lost with the horrible shape of the message, but a little voice inside Connie's head kept telling her there was more to what Shield had left behind. After all, the pony had managed to overcome a complex mind-control spell tailored specifically for her. She HAD to be pretty smart.

"Filly... insult? Calling me too young to understand? Maybe so that I would get angry and pursue the clue before it became useless? I doubt that," the unicorn shook her head, clicking her teeth in disappointment, "Maybe a clue to what Secret Seeker wanted with the rings? Regenerative powers, longevity, immunity to disease, what more could he unlock? He already managed to fully recover from a chunk of his body missing in under a minute."

Kicking the workdesk in frustration, Connie gave up for tonight.

"Stuff might make more sense after a good night's sleep. It usually does."

Pulling out a rolled-up thin blanket from her saddlebag, she relaxed on a couch by the wall. Cromach had often spent days here in Canterlot working on pony-griffon ambassador stuff, and he still didn't have his own guest quarters. However, his office here was big, much bigger than the one in Manehattan, and Cromach had made it into a little home away from home.

Despite her head heavy with clues, ideas, and theories, Connie fell asleep mere seconds after she closed her eyes.

Bubbles was having the time of her life hanging outside a window to Arcane Hex's tower quarters. Her climb had left sections of the wall looking like a cheese grater, but now that she was up here she was quiet, nearly invisible in the darkness, and had excellent view of her target sitting in an armchair, reading, and making notes. Hex only rarely moved during the hour of her spying, and while Bubbles knew her mission was super important, she couldn't help looking down at the bustling night city.

Everything looked like dancing fireflies!

She had even followed the elderly wizard when he'd gone to the bathroom, crawling on the wall until she reached a smaller window cracked open. She'd been a little disappointed not to find any secret laboratory, but had dutifully followed the mage back to his study when he finished his business.

However, her forelegs were growing tired by now. As light and strong as she was, she couldn't hang by her jaw without chewing a piece of wall off, which was her strongest muscle. Bubbles, though, had learned a little about scouting from talking to Anvil and already had a plan. She was so proud of herself that she had come up with it and didn't have to be told it for once.

Mister Arcane Hex's home was right under the roof, right? So if she climbed up there, she could still hear him moving around and climb back down to the windows in case something happened. With few leaps up a vertical wall, she ended up on hexagonal roof only slightly sloping down with a chimney where she could rest without sliding off. After her quiet exploration in case she had missed something earlier, she heard Hex walking around. According to her knowledge of the apartment's layout, the hoofsteps under her once again aimed for the bathroom.

The old pony had to be drinking a lot, or maybe that was just something ponies at that age did.

Still, she heard him much better than she had expected to.

Flushing of the toilet, hoofsteps on hard tiles, then on the carpet, the soft creak of the armchair, and the turning of a page.

Looking down the chimney, she heard Hex's quiet cough. Yep, that thing conducted any sound so well that her already excellent ears could hear everything happening inside loud and clear.

She heard soft grinding on the roof right behind her.

Spinning around, she showed her widest grin to...

...empty air.

Empty air which wobbled like steam, revealing Arcane Hex in his red wizard robe looking straight at her with a curious expression.

"Mind if I ask who you are and why are you walking around on my roof?" he asked amicably.

Bubbles' eyes darted from Hex to the long drop behind him. While she could easily get back down, doing so in a hurry wasn't something she wanted to do.

"Emmm," her mind worked so hard she thought smoke would start coming out of her ears. Then she recalled one of the simpler books Anvil read to her and smiled innocently at the wizard, "I am a chimney sweep!" she inched close to the chimney, put her ear on it, tapped it several times while circling around and humming thoughtfully to herself, "Yep, my analy- ansis- I think the patient is all good now," she patted the bricks like an obedient pet.

Hah! She knew the experience from watching the ponies at the hospital would be useful one day.

"A chimney sweep, eh?" Hex tilted his head, the corners of his mouth curling upwards, "For this exact chimney?"

"Yes!" Bubbles nodded so fast her mane flipped around.

"This one connected to the fireplace in my living room?"

"Exactly."

"This _magical_ chimney?"

"Definitely."

"An exact copy of any enchanted chimney which doesn't let out soot because the flames burning down there are pure magic?"

Damn it! Bubbles let out a nervous whimper. She was way out of her depth here, but she still had a job to do. A great -no, genius- idea came to her rescue.

"It's my first day."

Arcane Hex's loud burst of laughter surprised her. The wizard wiped his eyes after his fit was over, and repeated:

"-my first day," he took a long breath to calm down, walked over to Bubbles, and patted her head, "Young lady, I saw you with miss Contradiction from the Silver Sun and a satyr named Astray from the same organization when the Royal Guards came and caused a commotion. It also doesn't take a pony with my experience to know you are some unnatural being. The fact that you have been watching me for over an hour tells me I am under Silver Sun observation now. Is my assumption correct?"

Bubbles gave the wizard a stern look. Why wasn't he mad? On top of that, how was a pony of such age so okay with standing up here in the cold without even batting an eyelid at the height.

"I can't tell. Miss Connie said not to," she clamped her both forelegs over her mouth, "Dammit!"

"I see, so miss Contradiction is keeping an eye on the school or me specifically, good to know. I would not mind, in complete honesty, if you weren't so loud."

"Loud?" Bubbles' eyes bulged. _Nopony_ should have been able to hear her.

"A poor choice of words from my side. You see, my quarters are surrounded by alarm spells which you tripped in abundance. You haven't made any noise my old ears could catch, but the constant ringing of magic in my head at your ever movement kept ruining my concentration so I had to take a close look myself."

Bubbles's big ears flopped down. So much for proving herself to miss Connie...

"I can just lie down by the chimney and not move much if you don't mind," she offered in an attempt to salvage her mission.

"While that would truly help, I suppose you won't just go away if I ask you to, right?"

She shook her head fiercely.

"Direct orders!"

"I see," Hex sighed, "Let me offer you a compromise then, because this night chill isn't agreeing with my old bones. How about I allow you a search of my quarters and then you let me get back to work?"

"I dunno, I was just supposed to watch," Bubbles hesitated.

"You can watch me from inside as well where you won't be making my spells go off all the time."

"Hmmmm..."

"I have hot cocoa."

"Deal!"

Scoring a better observation spot after being revealed AND getting a free drink? Bubbles was a GENIUS! Miss Connie would be so proud of her for this.

"Alright," Hex gave her a faint smile, "Grab my robe."

As Bubbles did so, her world distorted and she found herself standing on the carpet inside Hex's tower.

"Neat," she couldn't help grinning. The place was so full of normal things, shiny things, gadgets, glassware, stuff she didn't know names for. She could spend a whole day messing around here and wouldn't even scratch the surface of the mess of treasures around, "This thing _spins_!"

With a chuckle, Arcane Hex left the demoness admiring a small scale moving model of the Equus solar system. After a moment, Bubbles recovered from the sensory overload and remembered her reason for being here.

She had to search the place for something. Well, the plan hadn't been coming in here whatsoever, but miss Connie had been looking for some two rings all this time, right? The ones Bubbles had seen around Secret Seeker's horn during the fight. Shrugging, she started examining the ceiling-high shelves full of books by the walls before even attempting to dig into the workbenches and tables. Even she was pretty sure that a criminal wouldn't keep important things somewhere he would willingly invite her, so she just did her job and looked as official as she could.

Arcane Hex returned, levitating two steaming, sweet-smelling cups. Bubbles immediately shoved the book she was currently looking at back on the shelf before remembering she was explicitly allowed to examine everything.

"This would be much easier if I knew what you were looking for," commented Hex while passing Bubbles the cup, "Or is that something you're not allowed to say as well?"

The criminal mind was a complex thing, but Bubbles was becoming better at thinking like her prey, at least she thought so. She concluded that a possible criminal would know what was stolen and keeping it away from him would only make him more suspicious. If Hex thought Bubbles wasn't seriously considerng him a target then he might make a mistake.

"Some two rings. They are supposed to be super magical. They make ponies heal really fast."

"Aaah, those," Hex nodded knowingly, sitting back down to his armchair, "I see! Those are what was stolen from the Goldhorn manor a month ago. You are doing very important work then, young lady. Those artifacts are extremely powerful and in the wrong hooves could cause... well, not much as such. The power inside them is inherently focused on regeneration and vitality. They could provide an extremely powerful shield for a bad pony. I will be extremely happy when both rings are safe either back at the castle vault or with their new rightful owners."

"Miss Connie will be glad to know you're on our side," said Bubbles, gulping down the entire cup of cocoa in one go.

Arcane Hex cleared his throat, staring at the now empty piece of porcelain. The cocoa had been piping hot.

"You are definitely a unique individual. I hope I don't offend you with this, but what exactly are you?"

"I'm half-demon, half-pony. Well, most demon and some pony. At least that's what I was told."

The interest in Hex's voice grew all the way to eleven.

"A real half-demon? Real outsider demon here in this plane of existence?"

"Yeah," Bubbles nodded, returning to her fruitless search, "My dad was... umm... mom said she didn't know but told me it was such a big orgy that I should be happy I'm not barking," she stopped, "But I can bark. It's not hard, see? Woof!" she shook her head, "I wonder what she meant by that."

Hex covered his muzzle with his hoof, snorting.

"Do you mind if I run some tests on you? I have never seen a being like you up close."

"I don't know. I need to keep an eye on you for now."

"Imagine how much easier that would be if I was just running around you and poking you with various rods."

Bubbles had to begrudgingly admit that was true. Anyway, the search of Arcane Hex's quarters wasn't really her job after all, rather a way to stay close to Hex.

"Alright, but no needles."

"Of course."

The following over half an hour was spent in what had to be the only clear and orderly room in the entire suite where Bubbles mostly did the standing part while Hex cast weird spells which tickled, and touched various parts of her body with some antennae. The room resembled what she recalled from the hospital - one full of beeping devices which had glass panes that showed pictures, squiggly lines mostly.

In the middle of some experiment during which Hex softly hit her knee repeatedly with a small hammer, the mage yawned.

"Stars above," he looked at some spherical device which opened like a seashell, revealing a miniature clock, "after midnight already?" he sighed, "I guess we're done here then. I hate to cut this examination short, but I am an old pony and I can't pull all-nighters like I used to. Time is a dangerous enemy, miss chimney sweep. One difficult to defeat through ordinary means."

Jumping down from the raised platform in the middle of the room, Bubbles followed Arcane Hex back to the living room.

"I'm afraid I can't let you stay here overnight, even though your mission is important."

"You can send me back on the roof."

"I already told you why I won't do that. I can teleport you out of the School, though, right to the entrance."

"Alright," Bubbles bowed, "I'd like you to know I appreciate all your help, and I'm sure miss Connie will be happy to hear it too."

"You're welcome," Hex ruffled Bubbles' mane, "Now be nice and go tell young miss Contradiction both of you are doing a good job."

"Mhm."

Arcane Hex drew a pattern in the air with his foreleg, and after a quick blur Bubbles found herself standing on the stairs in the street in front of the main school building.

"What a nice old pony." Bubbles muttered, looking for a nearby tower with a good view of Arcane Hex's, "But I'm not that stupid. Being around Anvil can teach a pony about real honesty."

Up high once again, she watched Hex's silhouette walking around in his quarters until the lights went out.


	30. Truth: Gambit

It was three days later, and the late evening lights of Canterlot castle illuminated the darkness slowly blanketing the decorative garden maze behind it. A unicorn and a griffon were sitting on a white bench by a pond in the maze's center. Cromach, his foreleg wrapped around Contradiction's barrel, was talking while she listened, ears lazily flopping around.

"I haven't been here since the incident with Straw Basket and the Observers. I still get a little creeped out when a leaf moves out of place."

"I've been here only once myself," mumbled Connie, "and that was just in passing. It's pretty calm like this, though. I'm sure I heard that princess Celestia often eats lunch here alone in peace."

"It definitely feels like work and responsibilities have no place here. No worries, no threats, no business, budgeting, or politics. A little piece of heaven."

"I love it when I can just sit back and relax. Too bad that in the back of my mind I'm expecting an official complaint from Arcane Hex or some other wizard."

"How come?"

Connie told him everything about sending Bubbles to spy on the old mage and the demoness' report about being caught.

"-and while she said he was polite and took it in stride, we kinda went against the law a little. I was planning to defend us by using the investigation as an excuse, but I haven't heard a word about anything yet. Unless I'm being skipped over and you'll have an official complaint about the dummy getting caught on your table soon."

"Arcane Hex would be in the right here, no matter the circumstances," Cromach sighed, "We don't really have any official capacity to do anything here in Canterlot without the Royal Guard permission. You said Hex was fine with it?"

"He actually treated Bubbles to hot cocoa she really enjoyed, allowed her to search his quarters, and then did some tests on her when he learned what she was."

"Hmmm," Cromach scratched his head, replacing his foreleg around Connie with his wing. The unicorn snuggled deeper into the big, soft feathers.

"Is something wrong?"

"I might be misjudging the old unicorn, or I'm just naturally suspicious. You see, Blaze was borderline paranoid, but he taught me something important, something that has proven true over and over. Especially when dealing with griffons in positions of power."

"What was it?"

"Whenever ponies are nice to you for no reason when you pester them, they either want something or are hiding something," Cromach's beak twisted in an evil grin, "You know, I might just give you a rather peculiar unofficial order..."

"I'm listening," she purred, eagerly listening to the unusually devious griffon.

"You might want to send Bubbles to spy on Hex again, just to see if he's really that chill, or if it's a mask that might crack a little."

"She'll get caught immediately. She said Hex's place was protected by magic all over. Should I send her where she spent the night after? She found a rather good vantage point from which somepony with her kind of eyes can keep tabs on Hex's quarters."

Cromach didn't answer, humming to himself instead and mindlessly scratching Connie behind the ear. Her hind leg involuntarily kicked the air from time to time while she melted under the touch. Suddenly, Cromach stopped.

"You said you wanted to send Astray to ask Leo about the ceremony guest list, right?"

"Yeah, he should be there right now."

"I see. Connie?"

"Mhm?"

"Send Bubbles to check on Hex tomorrow. I'll tell you the exact time after I get something from my Black Ops supplier here in Canterlot. Oh, and after Astray comes back, tell him to meet me in my office at the castle immediately."

"Will you be needing me or Anvil?"

"Not for what I have in mind, no."

"Good, then I'll check Secret Seeker's apartment again. I can't shake off the feeling that I missed a clue Black Shield left for me, or misinterpreted something," Connie's hind leg kicked the bench, "Does this mean tonight is over?"

Cromach's talons ran down Connie's mane.

"I'm afraid so. The stuff I need to get for tomorrow isn't easy to acquire."

"When this is over, I'm locking you up in my room, chaining you to the radiator, and cuddling you twenty-four seven."

The hint of disappointment in Connie's voice made Cromach hesitate.

"Hmmm... I suppose ten more minutes without work won't hurt."

"My my, who is this hottie?"

Astray had never seen a female satyr before, but bowed despite the unexpected greeting without staring for too long.

She was wearing gold-embroidered white leggings tightly hugging her legs and showing thick, toned thighs and calves underneath. Her upper body was covered by a matching white shirt with golden trimmings on the sleeves and around her waist making her look slimmer than she actually was. How the shirt fit extremely snugly over her shoulders was Astray's second clue. Now knowing Anvil's figure better than ever before, Astray made the correct judgement that this noble satyr was no fragile lady, and was used to carrying very heavy things for long distances. She was only a little smaller than him, and wore her brown hair in a short, simple ponytail with no further decorations.

The lack of any features associated with high society, other than the obviously well-tailored clothing, would have made Astray think the other satyr opening the door was some servant, but he'd been instructed on who to expect by sir Cromach earlier that day.

He gave her a deep bow.

"Lady Fortune, I presume?"

"I don't know about the lady, but you got the rest right," she looked him up and down with clear interest, "And I'm honestly pretty stumped to see a satyr paladin at my doorstep."

Astray gave her a questioning look before realizing what she was referring to. As usual, he was wearing his lower body armor and a white Order shirt. Reaching into the small pouch on his belt right next to his sword and a gun, he pulled out his Silver Sun badge.

"My name is Astray. I'm not a paladin, ma'am, I work for sir Cromach in Manehattan. He sent me here to ask you and your soon-to-be husband about the events of the ceremony where this mansion was attacked."

Fortune's expression went from curious to dark, then back to a calm, friendly one.

"Alright, come in, I'll go grab Leo. He'll love hearing about things in Manehattan."

Following her into the pristine building and then through a long entry hallway, Astray didn't have much time to examine his surroundings, but they seemed pretty spartan. Only occasionally there were portraits hanging on the walls, no servants or guards on every step, and the whole place was uncharacteristically quiet. Not that Astray had any experience with the houses of nobility, but both Canterlot castle and the Order mansion were brimming with life in comparison to this place. On their way, he peeked into a door cracked open and spotted two ponies working in what looked like a well-equipped kitchen.

On a T section at the end of the hall leading presumably to both wings of the mansion, Fortune ushered him into a comfortable-looking study equipped with a trio of armchairs, a couch, a work desk in the middle, all completed with shelves stocked with books and wooden panels on the walls.

"Have a seat," Fortune pointed at one of the armchairs, "Anything to drink?"

"Just water, please."

"A servant will be back soon with it," she nodded and walked out.

A short while later, a young unicorn mare in a maid outfit came in, levitating a tray with three glasses, bowed to Astray who waved back at her, and silently put the tray on a small, round table. Afterwards, she moved the other two armchairs around it. Astray felt as if he should say something.

"Thank you," he smiled, "Mind if I ask - is this place always this quiet?"

She nodded, silently opened her mouth, pointed inside, and then gave the satyr a deep bow.

The door behind her opened, and Fortune returned with a unicorn who may as well have had 'NOBILITY' painted on his face. Fit build of a warrior who wasn't wearing armor anymore but still kept in shape, long, blond mane nearly sparkling in the late morning light, blue eyes, and pristine, white coat. Unlike Fortune, the only thing he wore was a black, gold-embroidered jacket. He approached Astray standing up at attention with no hesitation and offered his hoof. Astray shook it.

"Leo Goldhorn. How are things back home?"

"I am Astray. Ummm, home?" Astray blinked in confusion.

"He means Manehattan," Fortune sat down into a free armchair and waved the maid away, "This place is pretty posh, but a room into which you haven't crawled on your fours after having the snot beaten out of you by Cross just isn't the same."

"Pretty much," Leo shrugged, easing himself into the last free one, "I still feel like a guest in here rather than the 'master of this house'," he completed the sentence with hoof air-quotes.

The heavy, uncertain atmosphere lifted instantly with those words. Astray's hesitation disappeared as the fact that these two really were his predecessors finally wormed its way into his head.

"We are still working on finding the pony who stole your rings."

"Ponies," Leo corrected him.

"We dealt with the two who originally robbed you already."

"Really?" Fortune raised an eyebrow, "Great job!"

"Unfortunately, things aren't as good as they seem," Astray shook his head, "We believe somepony else was behind them, and said pony now has your rings. The problem is that our best clues lead us to the School for Gifted Unicorns, and Contradiction thinks a high-tier wizard is involved."

"How come?"

In the next few minutes, Astray told Leo and Fortune everything that had happened, including his version of events.

"-and that is why sir Cromach sent me here to go over the guest list with you."

Leo jumped out of his armchair.

"I'll go grab it-"

"Sit down," Fortune put her hand on his neck and called out, "Hey, Featherfall!"

The door opened and the mute mare from before entered. When she caught Fortune's gaze, the satyr ordered:

"Go to Leo's office and bring us a... where did you put the guest list, dear?"

Leo, slowly coming to terms with him having servants again, sat back down and thought for a second.

"It's in the filing cabinets by the back wall under 'Special'. I originally put it there in case guards wanted to see it, but they didn't find anything unusual."

The maid bowed and rushed off.

"Few days ago, _we_ wouldn't have even thought that something unusual could be in it. Everypony thought it was an action of two criminals from outside," explained Astray, "By the way, now that we're thinking about things differently, can the two of you recall something out of place?"

"There wasn't really anything _usual_ as such about the situation," said Fortune, "Everyone got paralyzed, rings got stolen, zombies came out of nowhere, and then disappeared in a bright flash of light. Did I forget something, Leo?"

"No," the unicorn shook his head, "That's pretty much the whole story, not counting Connie getting wasted. Oh, and the fact that Cromach and Connie broke the spell earlier than anypony else. Then, I think it was Straw and us."

"Sir Cromach told me that happened because of divine power or something. Contradiction said she discovered a new power herself. Her telekinesis now summons glowing tentacles. Pretty strange, if you ask me."

Leo hummed to himself.

"That... that would make sense, maybe. Wait, tentacles?"

"Can we invite her for a private visit later?" asked Fortune.

"EHM!" Leo coughed loudly, making Fortune whistle innocently.

"Aaaanyway," Fortune had the decency to look away before snapping her fingers, "Wait, that would _not_ make sense at all. The princesses remained frozen until the spell dissipated from everypony, and if there's somepony brimming with divinity then it's an alicorn."

Quiet knocking interrupted sudden thoughtful silence, and Featherfall returned, levitating several sheets of paper. Leo took them and thanked the maid before she left.

"Hmm, yeah. I'm no wizard, but there should have been no way for others, even us, to recover before the princesses. Unless the spell was specifically tailored for them which should not be doable. From what I remember Blazing Light teaching us about divine power, it varies too much from wielder to wielder so both sisters being caught by a spell this spread out should be impossible," his eyes darting from name to name on the list, Leo clicked his teeth, "There are three wizards on the list. You can tell because they love to write all their academic titles around their names. Arcane Hex, Eagle Eye, and Shimmering Thread. I have no clue who they are."

"Hey, what about a close range spell?" asked Fortune out of nowhere, "I mean, would it be possible to stop the princesses from acting if you were right next to them."

"Honestly, honey, I'm not the one to ask because I'm more of a natural spellcaster rather than a magic researcher, but it's definitely much easier to affect something or somepony with magic when you are closer and focused on just them."

"Well, right before everypony froze up, I saw a wizard standing in front of both sisters. It was the guy who eventually destroyed all the undead."

"That was Arcane Hex. I was there when the guards interrogated him later."

Listening, Astray kept writing small details into a small notepad he pulled out of his shirt's pocket in the meantime.

"Arcane Hex, Eagle Eye, Shimmering Thread," he mutterd to himself as he wrote the names down, drawing a circle around Hex's.

"The thing is," said Leo, "A spell capable of stopping two alicorns would overwhelm the senses of all unicorns in the vicinity, even those not really attuned to magic. A mage powerful enough to pull that off is unheard of."

"Umm," Astray raised his hand, "How about masking such spell by using a much more widespread one?"

"You mean that the mass paralysis spell was just a decoy so that this Arcane Hex could use a focused one on the princesses?"

Astray shivered when he realized that the fact that Arcane Hex had teleported him near Contradiction might have been just a ploy to get rid of him. Deep down he'd known all the time that was a possibility, but now it felt a lot closer. Maybe his disappearance would have been lost on everypony just like Shield's had.

"Not a decoy as such, but if we assume that Arcane Hex and Secret Seeker had worked together from the beginning, and that the photo Contradiction found in Seeker's apartment was something to work with then two really good wizards could pull something on that scale off, right?"

"I honestly don't know," Leo shrugged, "You need a mage to analyze this, not me."

Astray finished off his glass of water.

"Then I think I've got what I came for. Thank you very much. Mind if I take the list with me?"

Leo levitated an empty sheet of paper out of a nearby drawer followed by an inkwell, and in a golden glow there soon lay a second set of papers with copied writing.

"No, but take this duplicate. One of the more useful spells I know," said the unicorn an levitated the copy to Astray.

"You sure you can't stay and chat? I'd still like to know how things are back in Manehattan."

Astray shook his head.

"I'm sorry. Sir Cromach said he needed this as soon as possible."

"Well," Fortune stood up, walked over to Astray and shook his hand, "it's been nice meeting you then, and I hope we'll have a chance for a long chat under better circumstances."

"Definitely," Leo joined in, "Cromach said you are working side by side with a minotaur, but that she didn't really like you... or anypony really."

Astray smiled.

"A lot of things have changed during the month, and I'll gladly come back here with all my friends. Have a great day," he bowed.

Fortune leaned to him conspiratorially.

"You too, and don't forget that if you need some help with firepower, we're both here and somewhat bored."

"I'll keep that in mind," chuckled Astray.

"-and that's pretty much everything."

Astray finished his short report of his visit. Cromach, listening intently behind the desk of his Canterlot castle office, stood up and stretched.

"I guess we'll just follow Hex's trail first then, whether it's a real clue or a massive coincidence. If only to get him off the list."

"What have you got in mind, sir?"

"A little something for a plan I cooked up overnight and had to send several dragonfire messages to my friends in the Empire."

Cromach opened the top drawer of his table, and pulled out two vials with something dark purple sloshing inside.

"What is that?"

"These, Astray, are potions of magical insensibility. They are supposed to allow their user to bypass scrying magic and alarm spells of all sorts. Something most unicorns and even griffons consider completely and utterly useless, because they don't work as such."

"Ummm, I think I'm missing a key point, sir."

With a triumphant smile on his beak, Cromach hid both vials into a saddlebag lying on the couch.

"They work only if the user already has some sort of innate magic resistance. That limits its use to trained earthponies and zebras, or dragons. You'd have to make a bucket of this stuff to work for a dragon, though."

"I'm still kinda lost."

"I, thanks to my divine power, possess reasonable resistance against magical effects."

Astray nodded. From all he'd heard about the griffon, that made sense. There was still one unresolved issue.

"Where do I come in, sir?"

"I... had a chat with the princesses, specifically princess Twilight, about a certain world very different from ours, one inhabited by hairless bipedal creatures somewhat similar to minotaurs on the first glance."

The satyr's jaw dropped.

"Yo- you mean... like me? You know who my parents are?"

"Hmm?" Cromach shook his head, "No, I don't. And no, the beings in that world aren't satyrs. However, from all we know at this point it is possible for a pony and said creature to concieve a foal. Now that is a satyr. However," the griffon raised his talons, "I can hear all the little questions you are about to ask already, and I don't have the answers. The reason I'm telling you this, and why you are here, is that there is no magic in the other world and, from some experiments we ran on Fortune a while ago it means satyrs are more difficult to affect by magic. That way you should be able to use the potion effectively as well."

"So my non-pony parent was completely immune and I inherited something?"

"That's not how it works apparently. According to Twilight, they aren't any more resistant than an earthpony. The interaction between magical being like a pony and one of them is what causes satyr resistance."

"Wait wait wait wait," Astray waved his hand, "Does that mean I can eat a fireball spell?"

"Only if you're really tired of life," the griffon chuckled, "I believe you might strengthen your resistance to a decent degree like my old friend Heavy Hoof did through rather drastic training. Right now, any semi-competent wizard would wipe the floor with you if you relied on some innate defense. However, it should be the necessary amount for the potions."

"And if it isn't? Do we have a way to test it?"

Cromach scratched his head hesitantly.

"Well, these things are expensive and difficult to make. Mostly only zebras bother with it, so I have only the two. If it doesn't work, we'll just have to talk our way out of things."

"I suppose I should have asked that in the first place - where are we going?"

"I'd like to examine the School for Gifted Unicorns cellars without a bunch of pesky unicorns looking over my shoulder. That, the nearby mine shafts, and Arcane Hex's quarters. Some of the things Bubbles described from the place were... suspicious."

"You mean like using blood magic?"

"Oh right, you did mention that. I completely forgot."

"Exactly."

"Thanks for reminding me," Cromach rubbed his chin, "You know, I'm glad we know he's researching it. That way we won't go crazy about any forbidden books we might find."

"How do you intend to get to his tower, though?"

"We'll pose as investigators. The wizards are still shaking in their horseshoes from a bunch of pissed off paladins running around their school. As for Arcane Hex himself, I asked Connie to organize a little distraction."

"What distraction?"

"I'll tell you on the way."

"What if we are completely wrong about everything?"

"Then I'll offer Hex an official public apology and offer myself for his research into divinity. That's something he's wanted since the ceremony," he looked at the clock on the wall, "We still have some time, but better early than late. Let's go."

"Yes, sir."

Bubbles, tail swinging through the air, was resting by Arcane Hex's chimney and enjoying the sunlight. She'd climbed the whole tower after being told by miss Connie and then by Anvil who was now her official boss. Bubbles didn't mind others telling her what to do. After all, they were smart and experienced while she was still lacking in that department, and if somepony was to order her around then at least it was somepony she trusted. Bubbles hadn't been too happy last time with Arcane Hex, feeling that deep down the nice acting wizard had been annoyed, but it was understandable. This time, though, she was less nervous and much more curious. The mage had already proven to be interested in her for some reason, and miss Connie had told her she wouldn't get into any legal trouble, although she should still be on a lookout for any threats connected with the case.

That, and he made really delicious cocoa.

With her ear near the chimney, she heard the wizard moving around under the roof. When the noise stopped mid-step, she heard the crunch of a horseshoe on a random piece of dirt lying nearby. She turned her head to the still invisible unicorn slowly turning from a hazy shimmer and then his full old form.

"Hello, mister Hex!" she waved at him, smiling her trademark 'shark that ate a box of buzzsaws' smile.

"Greetings again," the elderly wizard nodded towards her, "Are you on a secret mission regarding my chimney again, or do you just enjoy sunbathing up here?"

"I'm here for the cocoa!" Bubbles continued with her boundless enthusiasm. Behind the smile and cheery demeanor, she was listening for anything and everything. Thankfully, the day was calm and even in this height she could make out the voices of ponies down in the streets.

"Cocoa...?" the unicorn choked out, clearly completely taken aback.

"You make the best cocoa I've ever had," she admitted. At least that was completely true.

Hex cleared his throat and his voice calmed down to his usual warm tone.

"I can, of course, invite you in, but just like last time I might ask you to help me with some tests. Since I'm not short on time today, that would mean more detailed examination in my private lab."

She was supposed to either keep him away from his quarters, which didn't really seem possible here on the roof, or distract him from sir Cromach attempting to break into his home. The secret laboratory stuff sounded fun, and she might even see something interesting there.

"Umm," she gave him her best puppy eyes, "Still no needles, right?"

Hex laughed it off.

"Needles? Of course not, I'm not a doctor."

"Let's go then. I'd like to see your personal lab. Do you have the green stuff that bubbles and foams all the time?"

"I do believe the cleaning lady uses some liquid soap. Come here," Hex put his foreleg on Bubbles' back and-

-Bubbles regained awareness of herself in complete darkness lit only by a blue circle with strange writing surrounding her. She felt so heavy, so slow for the first time in her life.

Wait, no. It was like when she'd been really bad and her mom put her in the timeout crate. That time she'd gotten really scared when a unicorn beat her up with the silver whip too hard and she bit him.

She tried to walk away, hitting an invisible wall. Her jaws snapped without anything to bite when she wanted to destroy the strange barrier. Out of nowhere, she felt her legs spread out despite all her effort, and she was levitated upwards and left suspended a pony height above ground.

She couldn't move at all anymore. The chills of panic ran down her spine, something she hadn't felt since she'd seen her best friends executed by miss Connie.

Hoofsteps broke her train of thought.

"Anvil?" she called out into the darkness, "Miss Connie! Astray! SOMEPONY!"

The hoofsteps stopped just outside the circle, but she couldn't see anything other than complete blackness and the blue outline surrounded by runes.

"...help me?" she whimpered.


	31. Truth: Confrontation

Lit by a duo of flashlights, the gloom of upper Canterlot sewers proved no obstacle for Astray and Cromach swiftly walking through the corridors protected from the stench by a pair of enchanted bandannas. The griffon was holding a rollout map in one of his forelegs along with the flashlight.

"Alright, two more turns and we should be near a barred mine entrance. The shaft should lead us straight to the cavern where you met Black Shield. From there it's straight to the CSFGU cellars."

"Why are you so set on Arcane Hex being behind all this?"

"I'm not, the clues we have are. If I'm wrong then we just cross him off the list and continue. The thing is that I'm not sure you interpreted what happened to Secret Seeker correctly."

"What do you mean, sir?"

"You assumed, and reported, that Seeker tried to teleport away but was too weak to escape after being so heavily wounded, rings or not."

"That is what happened."

"That is what _you think_ happened," Cromach shook his head, "Look, all I have is a theory that might be completely off too, but I went through Connie's report about the train encounter and something felt wrong. During the avalanche, Seeker teleported away after being torn apart by Connie. Granted, the rings helped, but Seeker proved himself to be a capable user of contingency spells who was smart enough to realize his spells whould fire when he'd be near death. He had several of them, both offensive and defensive according to Connie. These spells take a lot of time and energy to recast, but the two days from the avalanche to your fight would be enough for somepony of his skill and power."

"What are you getting to, sir? I really don't know anything about magic."

"Contingency spells aren't hampered by the caster's current state. I think Seeker didn't teleport to the cellar because he was weak and couldn't make it further, but because the spell was set to send him there. My theory is that he _wanted_ to appear right in that particular cellar. I want to take a look at it myself when everypony else failed to spot anything."

Few minutes later, the duo crossed the cavern where Astray destroyed Shield's soul crystal and stood in front of the wall which should open and become the cellar entrance. Cromach stopped and pulled out the insensibility potion from his saddlebag.

Astray couldn't help pondering how his boss was going to talk his way out of things in case of any legal trouble with a giant battleaxe on his back. He didn't ask anything, and when Cromach downed the potion, he followed suit.

"Did the wall open into the cellar or out here?"

"Inside."

"Oookay, let's see if brute force helps."

Cromach rose on his hind legs, propped his forelegs against the clean piece of wall, and with a grunt _pushed_.

In the next second, he found himself sliding across a worked stone floor of the cellar when the wall swung open like a door with almost no resistance.

Astray came inside, stifling a smirk at the sight of a slightly dizzy griffon attempting to stand back up. When Cromach recovered, he put a talon on his beak, walked over to the main door, and tested the handle which gave in but the door didn't move.

"Locked," he whispered, "Perfect. Now let's have a look around for anything the guards might have missed."

Astray had no idea what to do, but after checking the contents of some crates came to the conclusion that maybe there might be a different wall entrance hidden somewhere. He doubted that something like that would have gone unnoticed by the guards, but anything was possible. While he pushed the crates away from the walls and hit them for a hollow sound or something unusual, he noticed Cromach doing the same, only with heavy ceiling-high shelves. They were empty, though, and it was clearly visible that there was nothing behind them.

The griffon's sudden heavy grunt made Astray turn his head. Cromach was staring at a shelf in the corner with a puzzled expression, then he moved back to the shelf he'd checked previously and wiggled it. The heavy construction moved a little, giving Astray a new insight that Cromach was likely even stonger than Anvil, and the griffon returned to the corner one. That one didn't budge even a little.

"Hmmm..."

"Do you need help, sir?"

"I think we'd only get in each other's way. Just come over here and be ready in case something goes wrong. I'll try to use a little more force."

From side to side, he cracked his neck, took a deep breath, and pushed against the shelf. Blue sparks of lightning ran through his forelegs and barrel before something cracked inside the wall. A heave later, the whole wall swung open along with the shelf and slammed against another wall, this one leading to a dark tunnel.

"Phew," Cromach wiped his brow, "It must have been barred by something," he examined some small latch-like metal construction on the other side of the wall, "Ah hah! You were supposed to lift the shelf a little first. A piece of security that needed a very strong flesh golem to be opened. Even two Royal Guard earthponies wouldn't make the shelves budge. CSFGU staff would have known this was there if it was magically secured, but a mechanism like this being built down here wouldn't have gone unnoticed either. Someone high-up definitely knows this is here, but not normal staff."

"So this was where Seeker wanted to get, right? His laboratory maybe?"

"Possibly, but I'm sure the pony who killed him knew about it as well. Let's go, Astray, and be quiet. Magic might not reveal us, but whoever hid this was smart, and likely not deaf. I must admit, Arcane Hex's high status in the CSFGU ranks isn't making him look more innocent whatsoever."

Contradiction picked up the signed photo of Arcane Hex and Secret Seeker again.

"Are we barking up a wrong tree?" she asked, looking around Seeker's apartment filled with bookshelves stacked with regular and some incredibly precious volumes.

"Maybe you are reading too much into the note from Black Shield," commented Anvil, walking around and checking the tops of all pieces of furniture for... well, something.

"She was smart. Being introspective enough and having the brain to confuse a mind control spell cast by a pretty skilled wizard couldn't have been easy. She wanted to say something more with the note, but perhaps she herself didn't know what," Connie sighed, "She wrote 'filly'. Should we be looking for some book about dark rituals requiring the sacrifice of a foal? Maybe some crazy spell needs dark magic, blood, and the power only the rings can provide."

"Books then," Anvil drummed her fingers on a nearby wardrobe, "I'll go check the books written in weird languages."

"Can you read anything other than common?" asked Connie.

"I can read minotaur runes and I can recognize few expressions from old griffon."

"Well, now I feel dumb..." muttered the unicorn and waved her hoof at Anvil, "Shoo, you've got a better shot than me at finding something," when Anvil walked off, Connie sat down on a couch, levitating the overtaxed piece of paper, "She knew what book to look for, I think, or at least a topic. She must have heard something that was said between Seeker and his partner, or that would uncover Seeker's motive. Power is one thing, but power without direction is for madponies. Usually some desire comes before the means to fulfill it. Maybe Seeker had a sick daughter or a sister and he needed the rings to cure a 'filly'?"

She stood up, determined to start checking the contents of the books one by one for some side-notes or comments.

Connie's idea was close, but it was Anvil who eventually came up with what had to be the correct answer.

"Well hello there," Connie heard Anvil say from the other room, "Contradiction!"

Connie put down the book she'd been currently reading and walked over to the minotaur frantically running around and looking at each shelf from her height. When she noticed the unicorn, she turned to face her with a triumphant smile.

"Have you found something?"

"Do you see anything strange about this," she tapped on a book squeezed among many others on the shelf from above, followed by four more, "this, this, this, and this one?"

Connie examined them. Those were clearly some tomes about death and mysticism, but there was nothing special about them in comparison to the many others. The unicorn shook her head and shrugged.

Anvil smiled, and flipped the book onto its spine, then did the same thing with the others.

"Holy..." Connie's eyes went wide.

"Yep," Anvil crossed her arms on her chest, "Nopony would have noticed unless they checked each book one by one, or looked at them from up here."

Anvil's point was that while the apartment was basically a library and checking book after book would take days, the minotaur could easily see the books from the top where the ones Seeker must have been using before his death had clearly visible bookmarks stuck in them. Connie levitated the five books Anvil discovered onto the nearby table and re-examined their titles.

"Life After Death. Immutability of the Soul. Energy and its Storage. Mandalas and Focusing Rituals. Mundane and Divine," Connie's voice grew distant as her mind rushed to some possible conclusion. She opened each book at the page where its bookmark was and read a term she considered relevant, "Lich. Resurrection. Preservation of soul. Divinity as a source of life - alicorn, phoenix, demon. Soul jar - a phylactery."

"Filly what?" asked Anvil, and things clicked into place in Connie's head.

"A phylactery! That's what Shield meant. Seeker must have not allowed her to read these books so that she wouldn't know what he was up to, but she overheard something, I bet. He and his partner must have been researching methods on how to become a lich."

"That's some kind of chineighese plum, if I recall correctly," Anvil knew a lot, but the knowledge of dark magic Connie had gathered while attempting to make her horn work properly was on a different level.

"That's li-chi. This is a lich, an extremely powerful undead, probably the most powerful kind known to anypony other than undead dragons, and even there it would be a coin toss. They are skeletons who have access to crazy magic because they aren't limited by their physical body. They hide their spiritual essence into an item called a phylactery and cannot be killed unless said item is destroyed. As a trade-off, they can't go too far away from it. They are basically immortal, but the theory isn't a piece of some too obscure information. Liches are often mentioned even among basic overviews of undead. The way to become one is the real secret about them."

"Maybe the other books offer something useful."

Connie skimmed through the other volumes before stopping on the pages of Mundane and Divine.

"He needed the rings for raw power, but that's still magic, and magic dissipates in time. He needed something to fixate it, something immutable, indestructible, eternal. Oooooh shit!" she dropped the book, jumped up from the chair and started walking to the main apartment door.

"What's going on?" Anvil matched Connie's sudden frantic pace.

"The ritual requires the blood of a divine or demonic being... divine... but they already had Cromach's blood and still went after me. Maybe the blood wasn't enough? You know, just a mortal's blood, but infused with Nightmare's power. Divine... alicorns... but the princesses far too powerful unlike us, and we still outnumbered Seeker and Shield. They couldn't have gained alicorn blood. But demonic... a true demon, at least part of one..."

Connie was taking the stairs down two steps at a time. Anvil's blood drained from her face.

"Oh no."

"You thinking what I'm thinking?" Connie shot out of the apartment complex and trotted down the street.

"The tests! We served her to him on a silver platter."

Cromach opened the steel door leading to a fully fledged laboratory with a clean metal operating table in the middle, two more closed doors, and workbenches and chemistry tables covered with papers full of notes or open books. The place was so expertly lit that everything was clearly visible but no reflections blinded or bothered anypony inside.

Astray opened the door to the left and peeked into a dark room which upon flicking the light switch right next to him on the wall at waist height proved to be a storage room with an open space in the middle cleared of crates or shelves. He resigned himself to several more minutes of shaking heavy objects when he heard a sharp whisper:

"Astray!"

Cromach's hushed voice was so urgent that the satyr immediately returned to the lab and joined the griffon with his earhole pressed against the other door. Amidst some sort of deep chanting, he heard a pained groan followed by whimpering. The fact that he could practically _feel_ the waves of energy emanating from behind the door did little to put him at ease.

Under Cromach's careful push, the door opened, revealing a short hall into a wide open room.

Astray's body moved on its own. He shoved Cromach away and charged forward.

"BUBBLES!"

The demonette was hanging in the air, spread-eagle and limp. Her normally rusty coat with golden blots was covered in brown mess of clotting blood covering her entire body. The gaping wound in her throat slit open was just one of the chapters of a book of horror and misery Astray was now involuntarily reading. All four of her fetlocks sported fatal wounds, and yet the mare had enough strength to open her eyes a fraction as she heard the satyr's feral scream.

Arcane Hex, surrounded by floating cloud of red mist, let out a short burst of red light from his horn, and the cloud of blood covered him before draining into his coat and body and disappearing. In the next instant, Astray's sword stabbed the old wizard's neck clean through.

The satyr saw a blur, and then he hit a wall on the opposite side of the room. Astray was working on raw, undiluted rage and hatred, though, and jumped on his legs instantly. As he reached for the pistol on his belt, his body stopped listening to him and locked up. He tried to force himself to move, but not even the blood still dripping from motionless Bubbles hovering above the floor did enough to make him.

"I may be exhausted after the ritual, young satyr, but you are still nowhere strong enough to take me on," said Hex with complete calm, as if Astray's intrusion meant less than nothing.

Hex, completely focused on Astray, had no chance to hear the soft pawsteps of Cromach running at him from behind on his hind legs, his greataxe held tightly in his talons.

"And how about me?" he said just in time for Hex to be able to face him.

Astray thought Cromach was making a terrible mistake, not striking the mage from behind, but the griffon's plan was better. This way, the mage's neck was completely exposed. After all, a good spellcaster didn't need his ass to cast spells, but even the best definitely needed a _head_.

A hastily put up magical barrier shattered into yellow glowing shards under Cromach's strike and his swing nearly cleaved Hex in half. The unicorn stumbled backwards into the glowing blue circle. Its glow faded, and Bubbles dropped on the floor like a sack of fleshy potatoes.

What Cromach wasn't expecting was that after the initial force of the blow, Hex completely ignored the wound. Green glow flashed from his horn on which he saw both stolen rings, and resonated with some sort of amulet hanging on Hex's neck. The massive wound Cromach had inflicted with his first blow sealed up, and the unicorn gave the griffon a satisfied smile.

"To be honest, I expected more from you, ambassador."

Cromach moved like lightning, trailing blue sparks behind him, and his axe met yet another golden barrier right before hitting Hex who only took a single step back. The power of the swing left Cromach's battleaxe stuck with its entire blade in the stone floor, and the griffon face to face with Hex's glowing horn.

"HRNG!" the wizard's spell didn't go off as he stumbled.

Astray, locked in the position of a spectator, felt his heart jump when Bubbles, right before Hex could finish charging his spell, moved her head and chomped the unicorn's fetlock off. The fact that she was conscious, not to mention still able to move, was a miracle, but Astray wasn't complaining in the slightest. It had to be some last demonic resilience, because each of her wounds would kill even the strongest pony.

Hex's leg regrew the lost bone, but no flesh. As Cromach grunted in an attempt to free his stuck axe, Astray felt his body responding once again, and finally pulled out the gun. He was pretty sure the quicksilver bullets wouldn't be enough to stop an enemy of this magnitude, but any second he could buy for Cromach was crucial.

The shot went through Hex's neck, and the mage growled. However, when he turned to Astray, the satyr didn't see pain or bother in the unicorn's eyes, only growing annoyance. He felt a pulse and immediately dropped on the floor without even seeing a thing. As he rolled away, he caught a glimpse of the spiderweb of cracks in a solid stone wall that was behind him. It wasn't as brutal as what Connie had done to mount Canterlot, but if that had hit then Astray would now be a two-dimensional wallpaper.

Cromach finally pulled his axe free, but stumbled backwards as the weapon flew into the air. The second of time was enough for Hex to blur, and-

Bubbles saw a leg passing her muzzle, and bit down. She was so weak, so dizzy. She couldn't do much more than move her mouth and even that couldn't even make the bone crack anymore.

-disappear into thin air along with the demonette.

Astray wanted to scream, but before his own could leave his throat, he heard a faint:

"Damn it!"

It sounded as if coming from just outside the room, and the satyr immediately started banging on the walls for another secret exit.

"BUBBLES!" he called out.

"Get off of me, you irritating little pest!" was the furious answer from behind a wall that helped Cromach pinpoint the possible escape route.

"Out of the way, Astray," said Cromach, taking a deep breath, flourishing his axe, and cleaving the solid rock in front of him.

The axe got stuck, then small sparks spread through the rock, and the griffon heaved. In a shower of shattered stones, the wall crumbled into debris and gravel, revealing a mine shaft sloping down.

Astray didn't wait for any orders, pulled the flashlight out of his belt pouch and ran forward. Cromach, hanging his axe back onto the harness on his back, caught up with him few seconds later.

"She's not answering!" Anvil stopped by Contradiction's side, "Maybe she didn't hear me?"

The unicorn, rubbing her ears still ringing after Anvil's last attempt at screaming Bubbles' name all over the neighborhood, scowled.

"I suppose there might be somepony in lower Canterlot who hasn't heard you yet, but I'm sure the whole upper city now thinks you really love foam," she growed to herself, feeling the anger deep inside her begin to boil, "Let's go inside."

Not waiting for an answer, Connie kicked open the door leading to the lobby of a CSFGU building on top of which Arcane Hex's quarters were located. A bored receptionist mare on today's duty looked upwards only to be faced with Connie's fake, wide smile.

"Show us to where Arcane Hex lives."

"I'll need you to fill me a report or I can send him a message and he'll come down here for you-"

Connie's steel Silver Sun badge buried itself into the receptionist's wooden desk.

"Murder investigation."

"Whose?" the receptionist glared in defiance, although her hoof near the stuck badge was still trembling.

"Not yours, yet."

"Eeep!" the mare's horn glowed in a prepared spell, but the shimmer faded as she suddenly felt a pressure as if a dragon's claws were grasping it. The pressure turned into a guiding pull which the mare either had to oblige and leave her booth, or be turned into an earthpony.

"You can come with us to ensure we don't do anything illegal, but you're doing it NOW!" Connie's rough telekinetic shove made her stumble, "Hex lives on the top of the eastern tower. Lead us there!"

"I'm going, I'm going," the mare whimpered, "Did mister Hex do anything?"

"Let's hope not," hissed Anvil, "or I'll paint this place red."

"What do you-"

"Miss whoever-you-are," Connie interrupted the mare rushing up a long winding staircase, "Nothing would make me happier than being completely wrong about the old guy, but I'm usually right when thinking about the worst possible scenario."

Less than five minutes and many terrified ponies later, the entire CSFGU building was underneath them and Connie was faced with a simple door bearing the School's emblem and a brass plague reading 'Arcane Hex'.

 _Locked_ door.

"Mister Hex must be out at the mom-"

"Step aside," said Anvil, taking her mace off of her back, and swinging it at the door.

The weapon stopped and inch away from it and refused to move further. An attempt to kick the door ended the same way. However, when Anvil knocked on it, the unseen barrier let her do so without any issue.

"Now that's a nice enchantment on the door. I wonder..." Connie gritted her teeth, rumbling of stone followed her moment of focus, and the whole door shattered along with the frame and parts of surrounding wall, "Knock knock."

"Mhmhhm?!" the receptionist mare mumbled and fainted on the spot.

"What's that?" Anvil walked inside and pointed at a shimmering blue circle in the middle of the carpeted room.

"Magic circles are usually for teleportation, a focus for some complex ritual, or the means of restricting access," explained Connie, "Seeing that nothing is inside and we're not dealing with a furious old mage whose experiment we've interrupted yet, my guess is that... GERONIMO!"

Anvil watched as Connie pounced into the circle and disappeared in a blue flash. Not seeing any incinerated remains or even a pile of ash after the unicorn's possible fatal mistake, she followed. A quick bout of blindness and nausea later, Anvil's armored boots creaked against new stone floor.

"No... no no no..." the minotaur's palms curled into fists.

She and Connie were standing in a brightly lit room looking like the back of a butcher's store. Smears of blood covered most of the floor, small strands of torn flesh were lying around, but what hit the minotaur the hardest was a clump of rusty hair near the back of the room.

As her stupor faded, she gripped her mace and realized she was hearing some sort of clanking and grunts from a long way away. There were two ways out of the room, one of them leading into some sort of laboratory and one into what looked like now unpleasantly familiar mine shaft.

"I think we have to split up-" started Connie.

"No, I can hear fighting or something from down there," she pointed towards the mine tunnel.

"Fighting?" Connie tilted her head.

"It could be Bubbles," she said, clearly not convinced. The amount of blood around couldn't have come from a single pony.

Contradiction didn't have the heart to state the obvious, and just rushed off into the tunnel.

Less than a minute of mad galloping later, the mine opened into what Connie knew pretty well - the central shaft of the mine complex. Fresh air and some daylight was coming from above the massive hole piercing the entirety of the mine complex. The spiral of wide ledges with more tunnel mouths on the hole's circumference was the scene of a furious struggle.

Between Anvil, Connie, and the trio of fighters there lay a smaller equine figure, completely motionless. The ground around Bubbles was made darker with yet more blood somehow still dripping from the demonette.

"Go check on Bubbles," whispered Connie. It was clear that the fighters were absorbed in their combat, and she didn't want to lose the element of surprise.

Connie didn't know the details about Cromach's plan. She just knew that he had borrowed Astray for something. What she was certain about was that Cromach wouldn't make the same mistake as with the sewers twice, and that the fact that he was now fighting a unicorn with chopped off chunks of flesh can't have been his first choice. The wizard robes and about half of the flesh on the unicorn's face still present reassured her that the clearly undead enemy was Arcane Hex, and that he had succeeded in the transformation ritual.

Summoning a telekinetic hammer, she hit the shimmering barrier surrounding Hex which flickered and dissipated for a moment. The mage looked her way, and recieved a blow from Cromach's axe which cleaved his barrel and sent shards of chopped ribs flying everywhere. In a flash of green light coming from two glowing rings on Hex's horn, the bones recovered and Cromach was telekinetically flung away.

The momentary distraction was enough for Astray to dart closer and stab his sword into Hex's neck. The effect was much lower than expected, when with a blue flash of light, ice enveloped the entire blade. Astray tried to pull it out, and after a loud crack looked in disbelief at the hilt of his longsword, the only thing remaining from it. Another pulse of power sent the satyr sliding away...

...straight into the central hole.

A scream followed by a hand grasping a piece of broken and twisted railing was the last thing Connie saw before having to make the correct choice. She didn't have time to look over the edge and pull Astray up. Now that Cromach was alone against Hex, the lich was quickly gaining the upper hoof and forcing Cromach to dodge magical projectiles coming from all sides instead of counterattacking.

The next exchange was quick and brutal. Connie needed more power to punch through Hex's ever-strengthening barriers, and the power inside her answered by spawning a thick glowing tentacle which slammed down on the dome. Thin cracks appeared on its surface, but it held. Cromach darted forward, his axe trailing lightning behind it and passing through the shield with only little resistance and cleaving Hex's foreleg clean off. The increasingly irritated skeletal mage took a deep breath and Cromach barely jumped backwards before a cone of fire shot out of Hex's mouth. That was all Hex needed to levitate his foreleg up and make it rejoin his body.

"Connie!" she heard Cromach screaming while jumping up from his back, followed by a quick wave of his foreleg, "Toss THAT!"

He was pointing at some kind of barrel, and Connie understood. Cromach's divine power allowed him to go through Hex's protective shield, but that wasn't all. To survive Connie's insane telekinetic strength, the barrier spell had to be tailored against it. A heavy physical projectile with the strength of her throw behind it should do some serious damage.

A fraction of a second later, the pony-sized barrel was just a blur in the air.

Time seemed to slow down as the barrel floated, but Connie knew it was just her head coping with the relative speed of the fight of Cromach and Hex.

The wizard's eyes locked on the barrel when it burst forward with a small thunderclap.

Cromach, lightning coursing through him, dropped his axe and tackled Hex on the ground, leaving blue shimmer wherever he passed.

Hex's bony, red-glowing foreleg punched a hole through the griffon's barrel.

Cromach slammed his foreleg down through Hex's ribcage, pushing himself off of the limb impaling him, all that while swiping at Hex's horn with the talons of his other foreleg.

The horn didn't break with the blow, but it wasn't supposed to. With the pair of scalding hot rings in his talons, Cromach rose on his hind legs and kicked himself backwards, away from Hex.

So, Connie was supposed to be a distraction, not a threat.

Wait.

Connie's thrown barrel reached still dazed Hex who only saw a threat and reacted instantly to destroy it. He spat out a ball of fire from his mouth right as Connie finally noticed faint red markings on the wooden projectile.

The earth-shattering boom as the fiery spell met a barrel packed tightly with mining explosives swept Connie off of her hooves. The following rumbling of the next floor of the spiral ledge crumbling drowned out Astray's panicked scream as the railing he'd been hanging on to gave out, and he fell. The raised cloud of dust drowned out everything for everyone.

The central shaft spanned most of the height of Canterlot mountain, so Astray knew he'd have a long time to think about his mistakes.

Cromach gasped for breath as he pushed himself up from the polished black floor. His panic attack subsided with his first look around, replaced by cold dread of absolute certainty.

He was standing on a wide open square of obsidian tiles. On the sides of the square there were thick pillars separating the inside from the outside which looked like an endless, grey desert. He didn't need to look at the black throne a short distance away to know he was in the Final Sanctuary, the realm of Void, the alicorn of Death.

So this was it. He hadn't been able to escape the explosion in time, but at least he'd managed to take Arcane Hex's rings away from him. Without them, even if the explosion hadn't killed the unicorn as well, the others should be able to finish him.

Walking around accompanied only by his pawsteps and the scratching of claws, Cromach pondered his situation. Was he waiting for some sort of judgement?

"You know... I'm a bastard," he muttered to himself and shook his head, "My last thoughts weren't for Connie. All I could think was 'Blaze, at least I will see you soon'."

Did all souls have to wait this long for their... whatever was going to happen?

Cromach knew that if there was a busy alicorn then it would be Void, but how long was he supposed to wait?

"I must admit I wasn't expecting _you_ here this soon-"

Cromach, hearing the voice from behind-

"DON'T turn around!"

-froze.

The voice wasn't the deep, smooth tone of Void. This voice felt like a normal pony and a somewhat familiar one, only distorted. Cromach knew he knew it, he just couldn't place it. So he simply asked:

"Who are you, and why can't I look at you?"

"It's funny how good you are at asking questions I'm not allowed to answer. You can trust me in that I am your... I am not your enemy."

"That doesn't really mean much when I'm already dead," Cromach sat down, looking between the pillars at the desert outside.

"The dead don't come here, otherwise Void wouldn't ever get a moment of peace."

"Speaking of him, where is he?"

"Gone."

"Okay. You're certainly a fountain of knowledge. When is he coming back?"

"He... isn't. Void is, for all intents and purposes, dead."

"What?!" it took all Cromach's self-control not to turn around, "Why? When? How?"

"I... don't know that much, but remember Harmony's attack during which Blazing died?"

"Yeah. I was so pissed afterwards when I recovered from being completely broken. Why wasn't Void there? Even damn DISCORD came to help and he didn't."

"The price for Discord's help was Void leaving this world forever. Void knew his help wouldn't be as meaningful as that of another god, and agreed. You see, just like Blazing lost Darky and you, Void lost Scream."

"What do you mean?"

"She helped Harmony come to this world."

"SHE CAUSED IT?"

"Her reasoning was to get the god here when we were ready, not when everyone has forgotten and his cult spread far and wide already. She even prepared a way which would be possible to be shut down by you. Had the god returned on its own, nothing would stop it. She prepared a magical means of doing so faster, but those were vulnerable on purpose, and you used the weakness she designed."

So that's why necromancy suddenly jumped in the past year. Void, the protector of souls, was gone. Everyone, even those with fairly little power, just needed the knowledge of dark rituals to now tap into the well of spiritual essence.

"How do you know all this?"

"I was supposed to tell this to somepony else, but I felt like you needed to know. Rules are... well, I promised Void to do what I thought best and that is what I'm doing."

"As much as this helped me understand what happened, I still don't know how this is connected to myself."

"You see, Void had a plan for you as well. Just like Scream manipulated him and all of us before, Void was certain you would somehow at some point come here. I was supposed to show you this."

The air before Cromach wobbled, and three see-through, shimmering figures appeared. A hippogriff and a unicorn were talking to the shifting image of the alicorn of death himself. A sphere of white light was hovering above the hippogriff's head.

"-This indeed is Cromach's soul... or some part of it," said Void.

"Part of it?" asked the hippogriff.

Cromach realized what he was watching. After Blazing's possessed father killed Choking Darkness and him, Straw Basket and Leo Goldhorn discovered remains of Crom's soul preserved by divine power haunting Canterlot castle and asked Void for help.

A spirit preserved in divinity. Cromach's expression turned thoughtful. He barely even listened to Void's following lecture. After all, he _lived_ its content.

"Mortals, with enough help or willpower, can harness divine power, but in the same way they use it it leaves a mark on them. Cromach's power was bestowed on him by Blaze siphoning Nightmare's power directly, who had no real idea what he was doing. Fortunately, the bond between the two was strong enough, and Cromach's desire to save Blaze from Nightmare allowed him to shelter just enough divine power for Blaze not to be destroyed completely. Still, it was a lot for a mortal. It would not have been enough had the Nightmare's host not died before Nightmare could disintegrate both of them. From what they told me, Blaze has recently been helping Cromach use the power inside him. Much like during the incident when Cromach's desire to protect his lover allowed him to safeguard so much power without dying or... becoming something else, I believe the desire still burns within this soul, allowing it to remain in the world of the living. Sadly, right now there remains only a weakening wish and fading will drowning in the boiling sea of Nightmare's divinity."

"I know what he meant," said Cromach, "but that doesn't change anything about my body in the real world being in the middle of a huge explosion and a cave-in. Last thing I saw was the ceiling falling down on me."

"Well, I can't help you with that, but I have one more thing to show you. Void's last wish and my reason for being here. This isn't for you as such, but if there's something that might help then it's this one."

The quiet conversation in front of Cromach disappeared along with the spiritual images of the three equines. What replaced it was a different situation playing out before his eyes.

Void was more akin to a normal unicorn now, thin strands of dark flames draining out of him into the surrounding air. He was watching something that looked like a night sky filled to the brim with stars. One of the flickering dots was surrounded with the black and purple fire of Void's divine power, and seemingly absorbing it.

The core of the spark drowning in the sea of darkness was a mix of pink and orange.

Cromach recalled how others described his spirit when he'd been dead, how it changed based on what divine power had been poured into him in an attempt for resurrection. This soul wasn't changing, meaning it had power of its own which was assimilating Void's.

Alicorns don't die unless their divine power is taken away, purified, or they give it up. Harmony was the one doing the purifying, but if Void had to leave out of despair, pain of loss, and a promise, then he could give his divinity to a suitable successor.

Somepony who saw death not as something to dread, but as a final place of safety, the end of pain, calmness and peace.

Even if an alicorn's physical form is killed, their body can reform as long as divine power tied to their soul remains untouched.

Did that work for all those with sufficient divinity inside them?

Filled with newfound strength, Cromach was determined to find out. It didn't matter how long it would take. As long as his body held up, he would wait, and he would meet _him_ again.

"I know what Void wanted from me," he said simply, "And I know how to get out of here."

"I am glad to hear that," the voice chuckled, "because I myself have no clue how to kick you out."

"A simple thank you will never come close to how much what you just did means to me," Cromach stood up and stretched.

"That's what friends are for, Cromach..."

The griffon closed his eyes, and roared.

The dust settled, and Connie rushed over to the crumbled rocks. The level of the spiral ledge they were on survived the explosion, but the level above it had completely collapsed on Arcane Hex and Cromach. As she approached the heap, her hair rose up, lifted by static charge in the air.

"Cromach! CROMACH!" she called out.

A white tentacle sprouted from the floor and moved the closest boulder away from the pile, then she heard a muffled groan. Forcing himself to be patient, she started disassembling the cave-in rock by rock until she got to a large, flat one.

Large, flat, sparkling one.

Lifting it with her mind, it slowly slid away, revealing Cromach kneeling on his hind legs while keeping Connie's rock from crushing him with his forelegs. Lightning was coursing through his entire form, and he collapsed when the weight was lifted off of his shoulders. Ignoring the blue sparks all over the griffon, sobbing Connie landed on him and buried her muzzle into the dirty feathers of his neck.

"You're worse... than the... rocks..." he grunted under the loving assault.

Connie's answer was only a tighter hug.

Anvil cursed herself. Over and over and over and over. She kept cursing herself with each bandage she took out of her bag and used to stop Bubbles' neverending bleeding. She should have gone to pull Astray back up immediately, but she couldn't. Not after what she'd seen before Contradiction joined the fight.

Bubbles had still been breathing. With the amount of blood she'd left behind she should normally look like an industrial beer tank, but she was still this fit, small mare who somehow was still alive. Anvil told herself she'd evaluated the situation correctly, that Astray had had the chance to pull himself up or hang there until the end of the fight, but Bubbles had needed any help she could get.

Nopony could have expected that explosion, nopony. And yet she was still hearing the voice in the back of her head calling her an idiot for taking care of somepony who would obviously die in the next second instead of saving whoever could survive and joining the fight. Maybe her presence would have ended the battle before the need for the explosion, but maybe not. So, locked in an internal struggle tearing her apart, she kept bandaging the bleeding wounds of the miraculously still not dead demoness.

"Need... help?" she heard, and her hands started shaking.

Was she hallucinating?

Astray, shoulder slumped and his other hand clutching his ribs, was standing above her and gasping for breath.

"You... you're alive?" Anvil couldn't believe how high-pitched her voice was.

"Asss... try. Not... a... sil...ver kni...fe."

The whisper from the limp mummy she'd been taking care of reassured her that she wasn't in fact going crazy.

"Heh, sorta... wish I... wasn't. Breathing... hurts," the satyr sat down, seeing Cromach and Connie didn't need his help. Possibly a crowbar to pry them apart.

"How?" Anvil was working on autopilot, prodding and poking the battered satyr's torso.

"I caught... the ledge... under this one. It didn't have... that crappy... railings. Very sturdy. Though my ribcage... had a disagreement... with it. Glad you made it... without.. me."

"I didn't do anything," Anvil fixated Astray's damaged shoulder with multiple layers of bandages, "I was the only one who didn't do anything. Dumb... useless.. cow."

Astray's working hand brushed Anvil's muzzle and pulled her muscular neck a little down. When she looked questioningly at the satyr, he nodded towards Bubbles whose eyes were now closed, but her barrel was slowly going up and down with unconscious breathing.

"You had... the most important... job ever. And you... did great."


	32. The End: Into the Future

The peace and quiet of Leo Goldhorn's mansion was disrupted by many sets of hoofsteps. The picture-perfect stereotype of a unicorn noble was currently sitting behind his desk and working on an idea of investing into some property deeds in western Equestria when he heard cautious knocking on his office door.

"Come in, Featherfall."

Leo knew Fortune's personal maid pretty well by now. The mare wasn't particularly skilled at anything or had any traits which would make her noticeable among other servants, but Fortune had a soft spot for the mute unicorn and the two spent a lot of time together. Plus, most unicorns frowned on being servants, leaving such positions to pegasi and mainly earthponies, and having one brought certain prestige to their employer.

The loud shuffling following the door opening made Leo look up, because up until now he'd been sure the maid was coming with a fresh cup of tea or something.

"Wha-" he immediately stood up, "Cromach, Connie, what are you doing here? Nopony told me you were on the way."

Cromach walked over and patted Leo's shoulder.

"Well, this quiet young lady ushered us in and we sort of persuaded her to let us surprise you. Deep down, I was expecting you and Fortune to be enjoying your relationship, so to speak."

"She's outside in the workshop. You know how she is, she loves to tinker. Last week she put a scope from a griffon rifle on a mace, but I'm sure that was just a joke."

"Do you mind calling her over?" asked Cromach, "The surprise is for her as well."

"Feather, go get Fortune, please."

The mare nodded and rushed off.

A moment of silence later, Leo continued:

"So, I've already met Astray, but who are the other two lovely ladies?" he gave Bubbles and Anvil a courteous bow, "My name is Leo Goldhorn."

The minotaur was wearing only an Order issue plain white shirt and a pair of brown pants she'd bought instead of her white overly tight ones. She was saving those for strutting around back in Manehattan. This was an official occasion, and while she didn't have any proper clothes, she didn't want to look like a pole dancer for once.

Bubbles, on the other hoof, wasn't wearing anything other than copious amounts of bandages wrapped over her legs and neck. At the mention of being lovely and a lady, she gave Leo the widest smile she could. She was still feeling shaky and the walk here to the mansion had been possible only with the help of Astray steadying her by grabbing her barrel or mane whenever she stumbled, but it was better than staying alone in the hospital or wearing a leash. After Leo didn't flinch at the sight of all her teeth, she controlled herself and ended with a bright cheerful smile.

"Ignore them, they're just Astray's harem," said Connie flatly, smug grin growing on her muzzle in tune with the minotaur's reddening face and closing fists. The fact that she didn't give the living volcano about to erupt behind her a single look meant she was more than certain what was going on, "The small cute mummy is Bubbles, and the giant pile of muscle crossed with a walking Playpony advertisement about to punch a hole through a wall is Anvil."

"Wasn't... thinking... about the wall..." grumbled Anvil, eye twitching.

"Hello!" Bubbles waved at Leo, "My name is Bubbles, as miss Connie said. I like running around, playing fetch, eating fried spicy chicken, and Astray," she scratched her chin thoughtfully and corrected her statement, "Wait, Astray first, the other things behind him."

Now it was the blushing satyr's turn to start intently examining the ceiling.

"Those three are the new Hoof of Fate," Cromach clarified the situation, "They still have a long way before they catch up to you and your old teammates, but not everypony's first assignment can be stopping a god and his fanatical cult."

"Taking it easy on them for now, eh?"

"Well, they [i] _are_ [/i] quite busy, what with the two girls vying for Astray's attent-"

"SIR!" Anvil called out indignantly, "I didn't know what you heard but it was just a mutually beneficial service which we happened to enjoy and might return to in the future!"

"Uh, what?" Cromach turned around, "I was just building on Connie's joke... wait..."

Contradiction waved her hoof between Astray and Anvil who were both now threatening to set the mansion on fire, heads turning into any possible direction that wasn't towards each other.

"You two... really, REALLY? AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Connie's unstoppable laughter, Cromach snorting into talons covering his beak, Anvil's annoyed huffing, Astray's silent prayer to whoever was listening to end him on the spot, and Bubbles' unbothered happy expression were what Fortune came to when she opened the door.

"My my, did I miss something?" she asked, walking over to Leo.

"I'll tell you later," he whispered her an answer, and then cleared his throat loudly, "EHM, I hate to be the killjoy here, but since we're all here, what was the thing you wanted to tell us?"

Cromach let out one final chuckle, and reached out to the pouch on his belt.

"It wasn't exactly about telling you something, I'm here to [i] _give_ [/i] you something. Or, you know, return something," he opened his talons, revealing the pair of stolen magical rings.

"Holy!" Leo's eyes went wide, "You got them back? Sir, I don't know what to say."

"Your social status is still above mine, Leo, so Cromach will suffice as usual."

"Sir... Cromach, you will be a 'sir' to me till the day I die."

"Well, you shouldn't be thanking me for this anyway. My role was fairly small in getting these back. Connie and the others did most of the work. I only provided the muscle."

"He's just being modest," said Connie, "We would have gotten our asses kicked if it weren't for him."

"We wouldn't be here if [i] _any_ [/i] one of us wasn't there," Anvil corrected her.

"A very wise observation," Leo nodded, "That's how good teamwork should be. Do you want to stay here for lunch? I'd love to hear about everything that happened. The combat parts," he winked at Astray, "and the romantic ones as well."

Anvil scowled at Astray.

"I should rip your head off here and now to spare myself the shame."

"Please do," the satyr offered his neck, "I don't want to return to Manehattan only to find out Connie told everypony. Oh no... Antares."

"Oh my god..." Anvil facepalmed, "The old perv will never shut up about it. That's it, I'm moving back north and feeding myself to a frostwolf."

"Aaaaanyway," Cromach interrupted the lamentations, "If you want, Leo, you can remake the ceremony."

The unicorn shook his head.

"Honestly, I'd rather not. I have everypony I need right here, and I think Fortune will agree with me. We can have as many parties as we want later," he levitated the rings from Cromach's talons, "Fortune, your hand, please."

Fortune, still smudged with oil, gunpowder, and dirt followed Leo's soft telekinetic pull on her fingers and presented her palm.

"We said all we wanted to say at the ceremony, but this was still missing," he guided the enchanted ring onto the satyr's finger, "Not anymore."

The second part of the custom was for the mare to put the second ring onto her lover's horn. Fortune, holding the remaining piece of jewelry leaned to Leo, kissed him, and whispered something. The unicorn smiled and nodded.

Turning to Cromach, she offered the second ring to him.

"You know, over the past year, Connie sent me a ton of letters. I saw how you acted during the ceremony, and I'm not blind. Connie is looking at you the way Leo looks at me every day. We might not be the best of friends, but maybe even a runt, and I might a single letter off with that description, like Connie deserves a shot."

The room went completely silent.

Cromach closed his eyes, remembering his brief visit to the Final Sanctuary. When he opened them, though, he took the ring from Fortune and looked trembling Connie eye to eye.

"I think Fortune is right, and this way my fear won't stop me anymore. What do you say, Connie?"

Her voice was shaky when she answered:

"No matter how this ends, I want it to begin here, with all of them watching."

Bowing her head and closing her eyes, she felt the ring slip around her horn and fit snugly at its base.

Kneeling down, Cromach took Connie's head into his talons, and kissed her.

Bubbles shuffled over to Astray and hugged his leg. Astray, in a moment of weakness, put his hand around Anvil's waist.

The minotaur growled:

"Put that thing down or I'll break it-"

Astray's hand slipped just a little lower, stopping on the rock-hard bulge of her backside.

"-I asked for it, didn't I? Well, for what it's worth I'm glad you're more alright in the head than when we met."

"I couldn't have done it without you, Anvil. Never in a million years."

The central nexus of mine shafts inside Canterlot mountain was deep, very deep. The darkness down there was all-consuming, and the silence was so deep it almost physically crushed.

At the bottom, however, a little dot of light started shimmering. A close observer, if there was any, would notice the light was coming from some circular amulet with a green gem in the middle.

The light grew brighter, and the silhouette of a pony formed inside it, first a shadow, then an entire walking skeleton. It picked the amulet up and hung it around its neck.

"Well played, ambassador," said the skeleton in the calm voice of Arcane Hex. The voice was however without any cracks or exhaustion caused by old age, not anymore, "Well played. I should consider myself lucky you didn't have an experienced wizard with you."

The glow around the lich form of Arcane Hex intensified, and a pulsating purple doorway appeared in front of him. He looked up through the main shaft.

"We might meet again, Cromach, and we might not. I am not a pony to hold a grudge and, after all, you gave me the means to finally defeat the pressure of time itself. There is a whole world full of knowledge to explore before I get back to you."

With quiet laughter, Arcane Hex stepped through the magical portal which closed behind him, leaving only deathly silent, inky blackness.


End file.
